Someone's in the Kitchen with Brina...

Easy and Delicious

2012-01-11T09:58:00.000-05:00

The next series of posts are a backlog of recipes I've made over the past few weeks. They are all quite yummy and more importantly, VERY easy! Some can be made the night before, while others can be thrown together to cook pretty quickly as long as you have the ingredients on hand. Healthy(ish), simple and delicious. #Winning!

Jaime's Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless chicken breast cubed
1 finely chopped onion
1 finely chopped garlic clove
1 finely chopped bell pepper
4 medium bay leaves
Parsley flakes
1/3 cup olive oil
1 - 6oz can tomato paste
2 - cans chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 cup long grain rice
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
Saute chicken, onion, garlic & bell pepper in olive oil until golden brown.

Add in the tomato paste, bay leaves & parsley and bring to a boil. Pour in 2 cans of broth and again bring to a boil.

Stir in the rice and cover. Let it simmer and stir occasionally to make sure all the rice is submerged. When most of the liquid is absorbed, remove from heat. Keep covered for about an hour, serve & enjoy!

As American as...

2011-12-21T14:08:00.000-05:00

All of the taste of hot apple pie, in easy party-size format. This is another Pinterest find that I've wanted to make for a while now. I organized a Holiday Cheer party at the office this week and decided that my coworkers would make excellent test subjects. This is an incredibly simple and delicious recipe, and I think that it tastes exactly like a slice of hot apple pie. Serve with cinnamon sugar pita chips, and people will think you're a genius. Because, duh...you are.

Apple Pie Dip with Cinnamon Sugar Chips
adapted from The Peach Kitchen

Ingredients:
2 cups peeled, cored, and diced apple
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp brown sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tsp water

Note: I doubled everything for a crowd of 15 people. The original as-written recipe doesn't make a large batch...probably enough for 5-8 people.

Instructions:
Combine all the dip ingredients, except the water and cornstarch, in a small pan on medium heat.

Heat for a few minutes until it’s boiling and has extracted juice from the apple. Add cornstarch-water mixture to the “sauce." Put back on the stove top until boiling and the sauce has thickened.

Set aside. You can serve this warm or chilled. It doesn’t matter. It will taste delicious.

The Magnificient 3

2011-12-13T10:52:00.001-05:00

Ugly picture, delicious sauce

This recipe took me by surprise. I'd seen it floating around food blogs for a while, but I didn't pay much attention. Sauce from only 3 ingredients? No spices? No garlic? Please.

Oh, I was so so wrong.

There is magic in this sauce. The 3 ingredients blend and simmer together, creating a velvety, rich, tangy, sweet and incredibly delicious tomato sauce that you can use on anything from plain spaghetti to your favorite lasagna recipe.

Alex and I made a few adjustments to this, but nothing drastic. We cut back on the butter a little bit, leave in the onion, and use the immersion blender at the end (hence the orange color of my sauce above).

Please go make this tonight. You won't be sorry. Make it and then come back and tell me how much you loved it. I triple dog dare you.

Tomato Sauce

adapted from Smitten Kitchen (and a bajillion other food blogs)

Ingredients:

1 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes

5 TBS butter (we only use 3)

1 yellow onion, peeled and cut in half

Instructions:

Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes.

Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste. If you like the flavor of stewed onions, as we do, leave them in. To make it smooth, stick in your immersion blender and carefully blend.

We wouldn't have to eat Kraft dinners...

2011-11-30T14:08:00.001-05:00

$1 million if you can name that song. And a bonus $50 if you get the joke.

Pinterest is my new obsession. It's a website where you can "pin" things you've found across the interwebz to pinboards that help you keep them organized. So, I've got recipes, house decor ideas, Eli party ideas, clothing I like, etc. I love the recipe board because it's one resting place for all the times that I see something somewhere and think "YUM! I want to make that!" and then immediately forget about it.

Like this recipe for one-pot mac n' cheese. Had I been without Pinterest, I would have forgotten to bookmark this deliciousness and it would have been lost forever.

This is great for a weeknight meal and it's very kid-friendly. It's simple, but I won't say it's as easy as just throwing something in the oven and playing a few rounds of patty-cake until the timer bings. This takes vigilant heat monitoring, constant stirring, and a watchful eye for about 20 minutes. Not so easy with a super mobile baby who has figured out how to climb the stairs, but such is life, right?

Oh...stairs? Challenge accepted, Mom!

I made a few changes to the recipe, mostly just adding a package of defrosted chopped spinach for some vitamins and bulk. Any other changes are noted in the recipe below. This one-pot wonder makes for a *DELIGHTFULLY* creamy mac n'cheese, and since you can use fat-free milk, it's not all that bad for you. I used sharp cheddar for this one, but I think I'll go for an even stronger cheese next time - maybe swiss?

Have fun with this, experiment with spices and different kinds of cheese. Enjoy a creamy and slightly sinful yet not terribly unhealthy pot of mac n'cheese. Round it off with some spinach or a nice salad and you'll feel victorious. At least I did!

One Pot Mac n'Cheese
adapted from White on Rice Couple

Ingredients:
2 cups large elbow Macaroni, uncooked
2 cups low fat Milk
if needed, additional 1/4 cup milk or water for final cooking (I needed this at the end)
1 tablespoon Butter (I actually forgot the butter and didn't miss it at all!)
1/2 teaspoon Mustard powder (I added much more, along with a few healthy squirts of Dijon) 1 teaspoon Salt, plus additional for final season later
generous dash of Nutmeg
1 cup Grated Cheese, any kind your heart desires!
Optional: 1 package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained well.

Other possible add-ins: peas, broccoli, tomatoes, tuna, bacon, Old Bay, Sriacha...

Instructions:
Place raw elbow macaroni in colander and quickly rinse under water. Let drain.
In medium sauce pan (about 3.5 qt), add milk, raw elbow macaroni, salt, butter, mustard powder and nutmeg.

On medium heat, slowly bring milk/macaroni mixture to a simmer, stirring the macaroni frequently as it comes up to a simmer. This will separate macaroni and keep them from sticking together. DO NOT LEAVE THE STOVE! The milk mixture will come to a boil very quickly and leaving it unattended will leave a big mess on your stove stop.

Once mixture comes to a simmer, immediately turn down heat to LOW. Macaroni will slowly cook in the milk. Having your heat too high will evaporate the milk too quickly!

Continue to stir the mixture frequently so that macaroni will cook evenly and absorb milk evenly. If you don’t stir your mixture frequently, you will get a big clump of macaroni in the end! Stir, stir stir!
Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until milk has been fully absorbed. If macaroni is not cooked fully, add a little more milk or water to mixture ( in small amounts) until macaroni is fully cooked. This will take about another 5 minutes.

When milk has evaporated, stir in grated cheese of your choice. Stir the cheese evenly into the macaroni. Mix in vegetables.

Turn off heat. Place lid on top of pan and cover for about 5 minutes. This rest period will allow macaroni to plump up and absorb any excess milk.

Take a final taste and add additional salt to taste. Before serving, stir one final time to mix everything together.

Serve immediately. Feeds about 3-4 people.

Holiday Deliciousness

2011-11-29T14:29:00.001-05:00

I've got two wonderful holiday recipes to share, and I think they'll make great additions to your menu. Both recipes are dairy free as written, but there is room for change, if you so desire!

We first ate this delicious soup for lunch before Thanksgiving dinner, and it was perfect because it filled us up just enough so that we could wait until dinner...but it didn't leave us stuffed. It's a vegan recipe, but we stirred in a little plain yogurt to counteract the heat of the chipotles. It's a fantastic soup and I actually wish I had a bowl of it right now!

The original recipe is from Moosewood, and I couldn't find it ANYWHERE online! I've substituted what I think is a close version of it, and I'll update as soon as I can snag the recipe from my MIL's cookbook.

Chipotle Squash Soup

adapted from vegweb.com

Ingredients:

1 pound butternut squash, halved and deseeded

1/2 large onion, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (canned)
1/2 TBS cumin powder
1 1/2 cups veggie broth

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place both squash halves face down in a shallow baking dish with a little bit of water in the bottom. Bake the squash for 1 hour.

Saute the onion and garlic together for a few minutes over medium heat. When the squash is done and cooled down a little, scoop out the flesh and place it along with the rest of the ingredients into a blender or food processor.
Process until the soup is thoroughly "soupy". You may wish to add more water or broth or even nondairy milk if the soup is not thin enough for you.

This makes 2 servings as posted, so adjust accordingly!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next recipe is much sweeter! The original title is "Garnet Yam Cake with Brown Sugar Sauce and Candied Pecans" but that's really long. And after hunting down garnet yams, I've come to the conclusion that you can use any kind of yam or sweet potato for this cake (heck, even the canned ones! I won't tell) and it will still be amazing. It's got a few involved steps, but it's totally worth it for a special holiday dessert. Even the little kids liked it!

A few notes about the cake:

This whole cake is kosher pareve, which is great for a kosher Thanksgiving! The sauce calls for coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature. I found mine at Whole Foods, and I plan to use the rest of the jar for other baking experiments. My vegan friends tell me it's a great substitute for butter in crusts...so we'll see!

If you're using yams/sweet potatoes, they can be roasted (baked in the microwave like I did!) and mashed up to 2 days in advance. I just scooped out what I needed for the cake and kept it in the fridge.

The sauce and pecans are WAY too sweet as written, in my humble opinion, so I slashed a lot of the sugar. I noted all changes in the recipe below.

Yam Cake with Brown Sugar Sauce and Maple Pecans
adapted from Washington Post

Ingredients:
For the cake
3 garnet yams (the fattest, most unblemished yams you can find; see headnote), scrubbed and dried
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons minced crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil, preferably safflower oil
4 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups toasted pecan halves, for garnish
1/3 cup pure maple syrup, for garnish (I only used 2 TBS and it was plenty!)

For the sauce
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (I only used 1 1/4 cup and it was plenty)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup organic coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
So the original recipe tells you to roast your yams at 400 degrees for 2 hours. I don't think so.
I simply poked a few holes in my yams, microwaved them for 6-8 minutes, flipped and microwaved for about 5 more until they were fork-tender. Then I let them cool, scooped out the flesh, and mashed. WAY easier.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, crystallized ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat the roasted yam flesh on medium-low speed until smooth. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the sugar and oil; beat on the lowest speed until smooth. Add the eggs, two at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition.
Add the flour mixture; beat on the lowest speed until just combined. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Use nonstick cooking oil spray to liberally grease the inside of the Bundt pan. Pour the batter into the pan, which should be no more than two-thirds full.

Bake for about 65 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into a tall ridge of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack; cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert it and extract the cake from the pan. Cool completely on the rack.

(At this point, place the cake in an airtight cake keeper and make the sauce; or wrap it well and freeze it for up to 2 weeks, then defrost and prepare the sauce before serving.)

For the sauce:
Place the sifted confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl.

Combine the light brown sugar, almond milk and coconut oil in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat; cook for about 2 minutes, until the coconut oil melts and the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium; bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour the hot mixture over the sifted confectioners' sugar. Whisk to form a smooth, loose sauce. Let it cool, whisking occasionally; the sauce will thicken only a bit as it cools.

While the sauce cools, make the glazed pecans:
Heat a non-stick saucepan over medium heat and add the pecans. Stirring frequently, allow them to toast until you smell toasted pecans. Then you know they're done. Pour in the 2 TBS of pure maple syrup, stirring around until all the nuts are coated.

Transfer the pecans to a sheet of alumnium foil and spread out to cool in a single layer.
When ready to serve the cake, allow each person to ladle a few spoonfuls of sauce over each cake slice and garnish with maple-glazed pecan halves.

Turkey for me, turkey for you...

2011-11-17T09:47:00.001-05:00

It's okay, you can die of cuteness. I won't tell.

Guest Blogger today! My co-worker, Liz:

I am a totalsucker for holiday traditions. From asearly as I can remember the best days with my family were when we madeconstruction paper cards with conversation hearts and doilies for Valentine’sDay, decorated sugar cookies for Halloween, and designed Candy Cane reindeerfor the holiday season.

But some 21years later there is really only one that I consistently recreate, and that isthe Thanksgiving candy turkey. The simplicityof it combined with the reactions I get from people when I give them out makesthem easily the most memorable treat of the bunch. In order to bring this delicious decorationto your home you will need:

Ingredients:

Chocolatecovered cherries (1 per turkey you are hoping to make)
1 boxof Nilla wafers
1small bag of chocolate chips
1bagof candy corns
1bagof French burnt peanuts (this is the hardest to find, some years I have toorder them but if you have a local candy store you can usually find them there)
1 tubeof chocolate frosting

Instructions:

1. Layout a vanilla wafer, squirt a dime sized amount of chocolate frosting in themiddle and place the chocolate covered cherry on top (this makes the body ofthe bird)

2. Take asecond vanilla wafer and line the edge of the top half of the cookie with aline or two of frosting then use that frosting as “glue” to arrange five candycorns (the feathers) along the edge of the cookie (this is the tail of thebird)

3. Placeanother dime-sized squirt of frosting in the center of the cookie with thecandy corns and lay the chocolate covered cherry on its side so that the twopieces are attached (it should look like the turkey is on its back)

4. Placea short line of frosting on the part of the chocolate covered cherry that isfacing up, place one chocolate chip towards the top of the cherry on the lineand one burnt peanut underneath (this is the face and the gobble of the turkey)

5. Letthe turkeys dry over night, then set them upright!

Cute coworkers Annie (l) and Liz (r) with their turkey treats!

There you haveit! Use them to decorate your table,hold place cards, or just bring a smile to your friends’ faces thisThanksgiving. Happy turkey day!

A Good Gourd

2011-11-14T10:53:00.001-05:00

I love pumpkin. Sweet or savory, it's my favorite fall treat and I'm always looking for new ways to use it in recipes. I try to stock up on the huge cans of pure pumpkin every time I'm in the grocery store, as it seems to run out quickly!

Last night I had a mad craving for Dorie's All-in-One Holiday Bundt Cake (amazing! make it...now!) but that left me with a whole lot of leftover pumpkin. Normally, I'll freeze it and use it later, but I wanted more more more pumpkin. I turned to my trusty Google and concocted this pasta sauce based on a few recipes I saw.

Many of the recipes had the pumpkin mixed with the usual spices you see for sweet baking - cinnamon, ginger, cloves, etc. I didn't want a sweet pasta dish, so I grabbed a pinch of this and a bit of that, tasting it along the way until I was satisfied. While it wasn't 100% perfect, I think I reached a pretty good sauce! The goat cheese gives it a wonderful savory tang, and the pinch of cayenne gives it *just* enough heat.

In the recipe below, I didn't list the amount of spices because I think it will work better if you just do everything "to taste" and make this your own.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1lb penne pasta
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 - 1.5 cups broth
2/3 cup milk
1-2 TBS butter
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Onion powder, to taste
Cayenne powder, to taste
3-5 oz goat cheese, to taste

Instructions:
Prepare pasta according to package instructions, and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine pumpkin and enough broth and milk to make it smooth. Add in the goat cheese, stirring to melt, and then start adding in the spices. Go easy on cayenne, as a little goes a long way!

Once you're satisfied with the sauce, pour over pasta and serve immediately.

Stephanie's Cookies

2011-11-11T13:32:00.001-05:00

So these cookies are a mouthful - both in name and deliciousness. And if you know me, you know I abhor white chocolate. It makes me angry. IT'S NOT REAL CHOCOLATE! ARG! BETH SMASH!

But...I do like small teeny tiny pieces of it *in* cookies. That's my one exception. Like these awesome cookies - tart, sweet, salty, chewy...amazing.

However, those cookies? Up there, in that oh-so-professional picture? These aren't *THE* recipe that I was craving. These are a poor imitation of my friend Stephanie's awesome cookies. I couldn't get in touch with her, so I decided to improvise and I used my favorite Quaker Oatmeal cookies recipe, and just threw in the craisins and white chocolate. But...as soon as I took my first bite, I was a sad panda. They were NOT the same.

I contacted the expert and she steered me in the right direction. I wasn't that far off! Just a few adjustments for spice, butter amount, and proportions...and I'll get it right next time.

O.C.W.C Cookies
adapted from Like Strawberry Wine

Ingredients:

½ pound (2 sticks) softened butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (I try to mix light and dark if I have both on hand)

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups AP flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ - ½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp salt

3 cups uncooked Quaker Quick Oats (old-fashioned will work if you don't have quick)

Dried cranberries - a couple handfuls

White chocolate chips - a couple handfuls

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Slowly add the flour mixture and stir until well incorporated. Stir in the oats, cranberries and white chocolate chips. 3 cups of oats will look like a lot, but trust me, it should all be added.

As for the cranberries and chips - I usually just eyeball it and add as much as I think looks good, it probably comes out to just over 1 cup of each.

Drop the cookies in rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for a minute on the sheets then transfer to wire racks to cool.

These cookies are pretty delicate, especially when warm, so use a spatula with a nice sharp edge that will slide under them easily. Makes about 4-5 dozen. Store in an air-tight container to keep them chewy.

TWD: Not Your Ordinary Brownie!

2011-10-17T09:36:00.001-04:00

This weeks Dorie recipe was chosen by the lovely Clivia of Bubie's Little Baker. Her blog title makes me smile, because I had a Bubbie and I've become her little baker, too.

Clivia chose Ginger Jazzed Brownies, which I must have flipped past at least a dozen times in the past few years. It never really appealed to me, which is strange because I love ginger and I love brownies. Who knew that they could taste so fabulous together!? The brownies are fudgy, a little cakey, and very chocolatey...while the ginger spice and heat comes through at the end. I nearly tripled the amount of ginger the recipe called for, because I knew some of it would bake out in the process. I think I acheived a good balance of chocolate and heat - not too spicy, but just enough so that you know it's something special!

A Sweet New Year

2011-10-11T14:07:00.000-04:00

It's traditional to eat apples and honey on Rosh Hashana, to celebrate a sweet new year. I can't let RH pass by without honey cake, and each year I like to try a new recipe. This one is from Smitten Kitchen, and I really loved all the spices! It's got a great honey flavor, accented by just a wee bit of whiskey...so definitely NOT kid friendly. But, we gobbled it right up.

Deb (SK herself) played around with the leavening for this recipe, and I think it made for a bit of a dense and chewy cake. However, the flavor was so fantastic that it overshadowed any small textural concerns. Also, I've learned that I've become a bit of a baked goods snob and must critique anything I make. Other people don't notice the small details I obsess over, so...yeah. I wonder if they have a support group for this. Oh, and I wonder if I should bring cupcakes to the first meeting?

Honey Cake
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder [see Deb's update I C&P'd below]
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup warm coffee or strong tea
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup rye or whiskey
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (optional)

*leavening note from Deb (her original attempt resulted in delicious, but sunken cakes):
Update 9/29/11: It only took me three years guys, but I finally got back to this cake today. My hunch was that the sinking was caused by too much leavener. I made this cake in a tube pan today with 1 teaspoon not tablespoon of baking powder (keep the baking soda level the same) and voila, no sinking! The cake has a beautiful, tall dome and my apartment smells like the heavens above. I now cautiously recommend you use this adjusted amount of baking powder instead; cautiously because I’ve only retested the cake in a tube pan and not the other sizes yet, but if you do with this adjustment, please let us know in the comments. Happy honey cake-ing!

Instructions:
Fits in three loaf pans, two 9-inch square or round cake pans, one 9 or 10 inch tube or bundt cake pan, or one 9 by 13 inch sheet cake.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease pan(s) with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Make a well in the center, and add oil, honey, white sugar, brown sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee or tea, orange juice and rye or whiskey, if using. (If you measure your oil before the honey, it will be easier to get all of the honey out.)

Using a strong wire whisk or in an electric mixer on slow speed, stir together well to make a thick, well-blended batter, making sure that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom.

Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). Sprinkle top of cake(s) evenly with almonds, if using. Place cake pan(s) on two baking sheets, stacked together (this will ensure the cakes bake properly with the bottom baking faster than the cake interior and top).

Bake until cake tests done, that is, it springs back when you gently touch the cake center. For angel and tube cake pans, this will take 60 to 75 minutes, loaf cakes, about 45 to 55 minutes. For sheet style cakes, baking time is 40 to 45 minutes.

Let cake stand fifteen minutes before removing from pan.

TWD: Better late than never?

2011-10-11T13:49:00.000-04:00

So I baked these Salt & Pepper Cocoa Shortbread cookies along with the rest of the Dorie bakers right on schedule. But then life got in the way and I didn't post them. That seems to be a recurring theme lately...I cook/bake new things all the time, but can't seem to get it up on the blog! I am going to be better. I PROMISE!

These were a great cookie - a hybrid of World Peace Cookies and spicy chocolate anything. I loved the little surprise crunch of a sea salt crystal in the middle of a bite, and the after heat of the black pepper. No one could identify the pepper, but everyone knew "something" was there. I will definitely make these again!

Thanks, Tia, for choosing such a great cookie!

Lessons in Lattice

2011-09-12T14:35:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite ways to top a pie is to use a lattice crust. It's so stupidly easy, but incredibly impressive. In my humble pie opinion, it makes your pie look professional, and it hides a multitude of crust sins.

After searching around, the crust recipe I've been using for a while is Mark Bittman's recipe. I like that you can make it in the food processor, and it comes together really quickly. I make his double-crust recipe, and use one for the lattice top. I also like to make little rolled cookies with the dough scraps.

I learned my lattice lesson from none other than Alton Brown, and his technique is foolproof. Once you try it, you'll be all like "Pshaw. Look at the bakery window and their lattice topped pies. Anyone can do that!"

Crust Recipe: (double for lattice crust)
Ingredients:

⅛ cups (about 5 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus some for dusting work surface
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
8 TBS (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into about 8 pieces
About 3 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed

Instructions:
Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the container of a food processor; pulse once or twice. Add the butter and turn on the machine; process until the butter and flour are blended and the mixture looks like cornmeal, about 10 seconds.

Place the mixture in a bowl and sprinkle 3 tablespoons of water over it. Use a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to gradually gather the mixture into a ball; if the mixture seems dry, add another ½ tablespoon ice water. When you can make the mixture into a ball with your hands, do so. Wrap in plastic wrap, flatten into a small disk, and freeze the dough for 10 minutes (or refrigerate for 30 minutes); this will ease rolling. (You can also refrigerate the dough for a day or two, or freeze it almost indefinitely.)

You can roll the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap, usually quite successfully; sprinkle both sides of it with a little more flour, then proceed. Or sprinkle a countertop or large board with flour. Unwrap the dough and place it on the work surface; sprinkle its top with flour. If the dough is hard, let it rest for a few minutes; it should give a little when you press your fingers into it.

Roll with light pressure, from the center out. (If the dough seems very sticky at first, add flour liberally; but if it becomes sticky only after you roll it for a few minutes, return it to the refrigerator for 10 minutes before proceeding.) Continue to roll, adding small amounts of flour as necessary, rotating the dough occasionally, and turning it over once or twice during the process. (Use ragged edges of dough to repair any tears, adding a drop of water while you press the patch into place.) When the dough is about 10 inches in diameter (it will be less than ¼-inch thick), place your pie plate upside down over it to check the size.

Lattice Instructions:

Stolen from both Alton Brown and Smitten Kitchen

http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/11/latticed-and-loony/

I'm not going to type it all out again, because this link (and Deb's awesome Microsoft Paint images) explain it in great detail. It's a really easy method.

I hope you try it on your next pie!

It's food, baby

2011-09-12T11:40:00.007-04:00

These types of posts will be few and far between, I promise. Homemade baby food is fairly intuitive - steam something, puree it. Steam something, then mash it. Steam something, then break it into small pieces. Etc, etc, etc.

I'm posting this recipe because it's a little more involved and I think that it would be tasty for picky toddlers as well. Eli loved it, as you can clearly see. I also deliberately took this picture on top of the jarred food I use for him. While yes, making your own baby food can be cheaper and sometimes easier, often, I'm really pressed for time and it's faster to grab a jar of something I know he'll like. Supermom, I'm not.

He is getting better at feeding himself, and I'd say that about 75% of the food actually ends up in his mouth. This recipe is great for new eaters because it's fairly mild in flavor, and when it cools, it's clumpy enough for chubby fingers to grab.

The dog had a blast helping us clean up afterwards, too. She's a real giver like that.

Ingredients:
Pastina (or Stelline pasta. They are both little tiny stars)
Cheese
Milk (cow, soy, breast...your choice)

Instructions:
Cook pastina according to package directions for the “cereal.”

When the cooking pastina starts to thicken and absorb the majority of the water, add cubes of Colby and American Cheese, directly into the cooking water and pasta (cheddars and other stronger cheeses may be used according to baby’s age/taste preferences.)

Melt cheeses and stir thoroughly while cooking. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of whole milk when cheeses are melted and stir thoroughly

As baby gets older and eats more table foods, you can also add meats and veggies as well – these additional chunkier foods will enable easier pick-up for tiny fingers
Serve warm

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner

2011-08-26T13:25:00.006-04:00

Been a wee bit busy lately! New recipes and blogging have taken a backseat to a boisterious 9-month old and a new job. But I'm still here! Still cooking and documenting. Slowly but surely...

These chicken nuggets are super yummy. I imagine that Eli will like them when he's into his nugget-eating phase (instead of just looking like a little nugget these days), and I'll happily feed these to him because they are a lot healthier than fast food options. The dipping sauce was also delicious, but you should halve the recipe. It makes SO much. In fact, I'll halve it for you. I'm cool like that.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh blackberries or raspberries, finely chopped
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 pound chicken tenders, cut in half crosswise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:
Mash blackberries (or raspberries), mustard and honey in a small bowl until it looks like a chunky sauce.

Sprinkle chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Place cornmeal in a medium bowl, add the chicken and toss to coat (discard any leftover cornmeal).

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook the chicken, turning once or twice, until browned and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total (thinner nuggets will cook faster than thicker ones). Serve the chicken nuggets with the berry mustard.

Puddin'

2011-08-03T11:59:00.005-04:00

There ain't nothing in this world that a little bread pudding can't fix, right? Even if it's savory bread pudding, it's still a delicious and comforting dish that just warms your tummy right up. I'd always wanted to try a savory version of BP, and when I stumbled upon a recipe last week, I immediately bookmarked it.

It's fairly healthy - whole wheat bread, vegetables, light on the oil, and 2% milk - but a big dense, due to the bread I used. I think next time, I'll use a lighter and crustier loaf, rather than a whole wheat fiber-loaded bread. Overall, though, it's really easy to make and pretty delicious.

Savory Spinach and Mushroom Bread Pudding
adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
2 cups low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, such as
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
3 1/2 cups cubed stale whole-wheat country bread
1 10-ounce package frozen spinach
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion, (1 medium)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper, (1 small)
4 cups sliced mushrooms, (12 ounces)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup grated Gruyère, Emmentaler or Manchego cheese (3 ounces), divided (I used Swiss)

Instructions:
Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add milk, hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; whisk until blended. Add bread and stir to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat an 8-by-8-inch (or similar 8-cup) ceramic or glass baking dish with cooking spray. Put a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath.

Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain, refresh with cold water and squeeze out excess moisture. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until tender and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; stir to blend. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and increase heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until any excess moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Add the mushroom mixture and 1/2 cup cheese to the egg mixture; stir until blended. Scrape into the prepared baking dish; sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over the top. Place the baking dish in a larger pan, put in the oven and pour boiling water into the larger pan to about halfway up the sides of the baking dish. (I skipped this step completely. I've made plenty of bread puddings, and never baked one like this. It turned out just fine!) Bake until the pudding is set in the center, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool slightly; serve hot or warm.

Opa!

2011-07-27T14:36:00.004-04:00

My big fat Greek dinner! This recipe was so colorful, it made me smile to see it plated so prettily. Usually, peppers are stuffed with meat, rice and sauce, making a heavy dinner that's better suited for cold weather. These stuffed peppers were light yet flavorful and surprisingly filling!

The one downside to this recipe is that it's a wee bit complicated. The Yiddish word is "ungapatchka", which means that it's busy, ornate, fussy, etc. I used about 5 different dishes in the prep work, creating a whole sink of dirty pots and pans. Maybe if I hadn't been so tired, I could have thought it through to make the process more streamlined, but I was cooking on auto-pilot last night.

However, the end product is well worth it! My changes are noted in the recipe below.

Opa!

Greek Orzo Stuffed Peppers
adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:
4 yellow, orange and/or red bell peppers
1/2 cup whole-wheat orzo
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped (I used 10oz frozen, chopped spinach - defrosted and drained)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, (not oil-packed), chopped
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, or red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:
Halve peppers lengthwise through the stems, leaving the stems attached. Remove the seeds and white membrane. Place the peppers cut-side down in a large microwave-safe dish. Add 1/2 inch water, cover and microwave on High until the peppers are just softened, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool slightly, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Mash chickpeas into a chunky paste with a fork, leaving some whole.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add spinach and oregano and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the orzo, chickpeas, 1/2 cup feta, tomatoes, vinegar and salt; cook until heated though, about 1 minute. Divide the filling among the pepper halves and sprinkle each pepper with some of the remaining 1/4 cup feta.

Moisten with the hoisin

2011-07-26T14:54:00.006-04:00

When I was in high school, I went out for Chinese food with some friends while we planned and designed our youth group yearbook. At the restaurant, the waiter explained how to eat moo-shu, and told us to "moisten with the hoisin", which we (as 16 year old girls) found absolutely hilarious. Now, 15 years later, I still smile a little bit when I see hoisin sauce anywhere.

This easy recipe uses hoisin sauce, along with a small amount of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar, to create a really flavorful combination reminiscent of Chinese take out. But, you know, minus the MSG and copious amounts of oil. I threw it together in about 20 minutes, with the help of these fabulous bags of pre-shredded veggies that I've heard about for years now - broccoli slaw. I know that Hungry Girl is a big fan of them, and now I can see why.
We ate these with warm whole wheat tortillas, as suggested in the Eating Well recipe, and enjoyed every messy bite.

Moo Shu Vegetables
adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:
3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 12-ounce bag shredded mixed vegetables, such as “rainbow salad” or “broccoli slaw” (I doubled so that we'd have enough for leftovers)
2 cups mung bean sprouts
1 bunch scallions, sliced, divided
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce (doubled)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (doubled)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (doubled)

Instructions:
1Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add eggs; cook, stirring gently, until set, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Wipe out the pan and heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, 1 minute. Add shredded vegetables, bean sprouts, half the sliced scallions, soy sauce and vinegar. Stir to combine. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are just tender, about 3 minutes.

Add the reserved eggs and hoisin; cook, uncovered, stirring and breaking up the scrambled eggs, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining scallions and remove from the heat.

TWD: I love scones. Sconey sconey scones.

2011-07-12T11:01:00.004-04:00

I love scones - they are incredibly easy to make and the buttery crumbly texture goes very nicely with my morning coffee. I jazzed these up (although, to be honest, they didn't need it!) with some dark chocolate chunks and passed them off to my coworkers. It's great to be able to bake for a big crowd again!

Scones are best served/eaten fresh out of the oven, like biscuits, so I'll keep this simple recipe on hand for my next family brunch. Thanks to Lynn of Cafe Lynnylu for choosing this weeks delicious Dorie dish! See Lynn's blog for the recipe.

Black Bean Croquettes with Fresh Salsa and Adobo Polenta

2011-07-08T16:14:00.006-04:00

Yeah, you kind of wish you could eat dinner at my house! Granted, we don't eat around 9PM when Alex gets home, and there are squeaky toys and bibs scattered underfoot...but at least the food is good!

My sister introduced me to this wonderful new website, http://www.eatingwell.com/, and I've been hoarding away recipes for the past week. This one caught my eye because it's very similar to our favorite Tamale Pie, and it seemed fairly simple. I was able to throw it together in about 20 minutes, and it was perfect! I upped the spice because we love adobo sauce in just about everything. The fresh salsa recipe was really easy and a perfect balance to the croquettes. I will definitely make these again! Probably without the polenta, as it was a little starch heavy.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup plain dry breadcrumbs, divided
2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
2 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon chili powder, hot if desired, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 avocado, diced

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Mash black beans and cumin with a fork in a large bowl until no whole beans remain. Stir in corn and 1/4 cup breadcrumbs. Combine tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir 1 cup of the tomato mixture into the black bean mixture.

Mix the remaining 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, oil and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder in a small bowl until the breadcrumbs are coated with oil. Divide the bean mixture into 8 scant 1/2-cup balls. Lightly press each bean ball into the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the croquettes until heated through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir avocado into the remaining tomato mixture. Serve the salsa with the croquettes.

Carne Bistec

2011-07-08T14:40:00.003-04:00

It's been a while, but I'm back to blogging! Just started a new job a few weeks ago, so things are settling into a new routine at home. I do try to cook new recipes for dinner, and I take pictures (bad ones), but it's the posting part that's gotten a little tied up. So, here are a few older ones to catch up to today!

This recipe comes from Skinny Taste, and I had bookmarked it a long time ago. The combination of flavors (cumin, onions, tomatoes) and the ease of the recipe (chop, saute, eat) seemed very intriguing. Overall, I'm glad I tried this, but I wasn't a huge fan of it. I love cumin in my food, but for some reason, I wasn't really into caramelized onions and cumin on my steak. I think I'm more of a red wine sauce kind of girl. However, it was a tasty meal and Alex really enjoyed it!

Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs grass fed sirloin tip steak, sliced very thin
salt to taste
garlic powder to taste
cumin to taste
4 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin or chopped
1 very large tomato or 2 medium tomatoes, sliced thin or chopped

Instructions:
Season steak with salt (skip if using kosher meat) and garlic powder. Heat a large frying pan until VERY HOT. Add 2 tsp of oil then half of the steak and cook less than a minute on each side. Set steak aside, add another teaspoon of oil and cook remaining steak. Set aside.

Reduce heat to medium, add another teaspoon of oil and add the onions.

Cook a minutes, then add the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and cumin and reduce heat to medium-low.

Add about 1/4 cup of water and simmer a few minutes to create a sauce, add more water if needed and taste adjust seasoning as needed. Return the steak to the pan along with the drippings, combine well and remove from heat.

Serve over rice or for a low carb option with a sunny-side up egg on top.

TWD: Chocolate for breakfast

2011-06-13T18:49:00.003-04:00

Hey, it's a major food group, right? These decadent treats were chosen by Jacque, of Daisy Lane Cakes. The biscotti are wonderfully dense and fudgy, studded with chocolate chips and walnuts, with a sophisticated hint of espresso powder. I would definitely dunk them in decaf!

Bet you can't eat just one...

2011-06-08T13:25:00.003-04:00

This is another recipe from my childhood. I'm not sure where my Mom got this one, but I have fond memories of her making them in our old blue kitchen. So now I make them in my red kitchen!

They are a healthier version of potato chips, and a great side dish for a dinner. It's easy to throw them in the oven while you prepare the rest of the meal, but they are dangerously addictive. I nibble my way through the extra-crispy ones while I wait for Alex to come home.

Ingredients:

Baking potatoes, approx. 1/2 potato per person

Olive oil (the spray is better)

Salt

Pepper

Other seasonings, optional (Old Bay, Rosemary, Thyme, etc...)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Slice the potatoes very thinly, making sure to keep the slices even. Spread them out in a single-ish layer on a baking sheet and LIGHTLY coat with olive oil. (Too much oil and they remain soggy. That's why I like the spray!) If the slices overlap slightly, it's okay. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and any other seasonings you want to use.

Bake for approx. 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are lightly browned and crisp. Thinner slices might burn a little, but you can remove them and continue cooking the rest.

Leggo my egg yolk...

2011-06-08T13:07:00.003-04:00

I enjoy a good egg salad, but I practically ate my weight in it during my entire pregnancy. I don't know what it was, but there was something so AMAZING about an egg salad sandwich. I'm surprised Eli didn't come out demanding the Egg Salad Cheese Toast sammie from Cafe Hon upon birth.

However, now that I'm back on the WW Wagon (dang stubborn last 5lbs of baby weight!), I needed something a little lower in calories and fat. Enter the Low Yolk Egg Salad from Skinny Taste! So easy to make and super delicious. I doctored it up with some celery and scallions, and it was perfect. I'm going to make egg salad this way from now on because honestly, you don't even miss the extra yolks.

Ingredients:

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled
4 tsp Hellman's light mayonnaise
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp chopped green scallions or chives
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Instructions:

Separate the yolks from the egg whites and discard 3 of the yolks. Chop eggs and combine with mayonnaise, dijon mustard, scallions, salt and pepper.

TWD: Aw....sugar!

2011-06-07T11:28:00.005-04:00

This week's Dorie delight was chosen by Cindy of Everyday Insanity, and you'll find the easy recipe posted on her blog.

The cake is a delicious combination of fresh ripe blueberries and caramelized brown sugar, perfect for a late night dessert or morning treat. It's lightened up by whipped egg whites, and rises to fluffy goodness, while the berries sink to the bottom to create a tart contrast to the sweet cake. Great choice, Cindy!

In other news, my favorite baked treat is 6 months old today! My, how time flies when you're nibbling on pudgy baby hands and kissing fat cheeks.

Summer Gazpacho & Product Rave

2011-06-03T09:52:00.002-04:00

I've posted a few gazpacho attempts on here, but I think I've finally struck gold with this recipe. Alex loves to eat gazpacho when it's hot out, and there is just something incredibly refreshing about a huge bowl of spicy fresh and cold summer flavors. Make sure you use the ripest vegetables you can find and you'll be in for a real treat!

Ingredients:

2 cups peeled and diced hothouse cucumber
2 cups diced red bell pepper
2 cups diced ripe tomato
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups tomato juice (I used Spicy V8. SO good!)

1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 dashes Tabasco sauce (or more!)

Instructions:

Place all of the diced vegetables in a large bowl. Add the tomato juice, vinegar, oil, and Tabasco. Season with salt and pepper and toss.

Transfer half (we like it mostly pureed with some pieces, so I blended about 90% of the diced veggies) of the mixture to a blender or food processor and pulse the machine on and off to coarsely puree the contents. Return the pureed mixture to the bowl and stir to combine.

Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours before serving. You can easily double this recipe for a large party.

Product Rave!

My mom introduced me to this amazing little frozen herb that Trader Joes carries in their freezer section. I *love* to cook with cilantro, but I can't use it up before the rest of it goes bad. It's so annoying. But this, I love. Andplusalso, it's Israeli, so I speak a little Hebrew when I take it out of the freezer.

Each frozen cube is 1tsp of the chopped herb (comes in garlic, cilantro and basil), and you just toss the frozen cube into your recipe as-is. Ta da!

Love!

Cold Brewed Iced Coffee

2011-06-02T11:07:00.003-04:00

Yes, I am posting about how to make coffee. I finally made peace with Mr. Coffee and can brew a nice cup of hot joe in the morning. However, when the thermometer tips over 80 by 9AM, the only thing I want is a HUGE glass of iced coffee. Sure, I could brew a pot and then let it cool, and then pour it over ice, but there is just something lost in that process. Either the coffee sits out for too long, cooling, or it's too watery because the ice melted right away...etc.

Or I'm shelling out $2 for a medium iced Dunkin hazelnut. Which, while delicious, will rapidly deplete your bank account if you do it every morning.

Then I remembered hearing about a new way to make delicious iced coffee at home, and it's so ridiculously easy, I can't believe I didn't do it before. For some reason, when you brew coffee this way, the flavor changes slightly. It's a little deeper, more concentrated, and less acidic. Some people like it, others don't, but it works for me!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup ground coffee (medium coarse grind, if you can. If not, no worries)

1.5 cups room temperature water

Double or triple quantities as you desire.

Instructions:

Combine water and coffee in a container, and stir to remove any lumps. Allow it to sit out overnight, covered.

To serve, strain the coffee through a fine mesh filter (I used the one that comes with our coffee maker) into another container with a lid. Pour out as much as you want, keeping in mind that it's a little more concentrated that hot-brewed coffee. Doctor it up, or drink it straight. Store the rest in the fridge, covered.

Freezer Baked Ziti

2011-06-02T10:45:00.006-04:00

Babies are awesome. They are adorable, miraculous, loud, lovable, and messy little beings that take up so much space...in your heart and in your house. When you first come home from the hospital, it's a fog of exhausted chaos. And you forget to eat. Or, if you do eat, it's a bowl or cereal, one-handed, because the thought of cooking anything makes you want to cry. Okay, maybe that was just me. But still...it's hard.

If you have friends who are expecting a baby, or who have just had a baby, the BEST thing you can do for them is bring them food. Yes, baby clothes and gifts are adorable and so much fun to buy, but if you want to be forever in their good graces, bring a meal along with your onesies and adorably tiny socks. Ask them what they like/don't like, give it to them either frozen (with cooking instructions) or ready-to-eat, and you'll be elevated to Most Amazing Friend Ever status.

When our good friends had their sweet baby boy, we all signed up to bring them a meal on a specific night. I made something simple that I could divide in half and keep part in our freezer (hey, it's still hard with a 6-month old!). This recipe, while fairly easy, was pretty okay. It wasn't my favorite baked ziti ever, but it's healthy and tasty. It keeps really well in the freezer, and you can just serve it up with a nice salad. Or a side of formula. Whatever works in your house!

Baked Ziti

adapted from OAMC Cooking

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) box uncooked ziti pasta (I used whole wheat penne)
2 lbs ground beef (I omitted)
1 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes
1 large onion, chopped
1 -2 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 -3 teaspoons seasoning salt
fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
8 -10 cups favorite prepared pasta sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (you will need more to sprinkle on top after baking)
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided (or to taste)

Instructions:

In a large pot cook the pasta in boiling salted water until JUST al dente (leave the pasta still firm, do not overcook) drain but do NOT rinse.Transfer to a large bowl and mix in 2 tablespoons oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together; set aside.

In a pot or Dutch oven cook the ground or sausage meat with chili flakes, if using and onion until beef is lightly browned; drain fat. Add in the garlic and bell pepper; cook stirring about 10 minutes. Season with seasoned salt or white salt and ground black pepper.

Stir in the pasta sauce and reduce heat to low; simmer stirring for about 25-30 minutes.

Mix in 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and the cooked ziti pasta. Divide the mixture between two greased 12-1/2 x 8-inch disposable foil pans.

Sprinkle about 3/4 cup or to taste of Parmesan cheese over each top of pan (do not bake).

Cool completely then cover with heavy foil, freeze until ready to use or bake one right away!

Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

TO BAKE; set oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake uncovered for about 45-50 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Remove from oven and sprinkle about 2 cups mozzarella cheese on top, then return to oven for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie

2011-06-02T10:17:00.004-04:00

I love Shepherd's Pie. It's definitely a fall/winter dish, all hearty stewed vegetables with meat and potatoes; however, this somewhat lighter version is a good addition to your spring menu if you have a few cool nights.

I found the recipe on Ezra Pound Cake, a great cooking blog, and I loved that this dish would give me the flavors I craved, but at a much lighter calorie count. I also liked that the topping wasn't straight up mashed cauliflower because, let's face it, it will NEVER taste like mashed potatoes no matter how much you want it to. This dish is a bit labor intensive, but worth it. It's delicious, healthy and filling!

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely
4 ounces (1 1/2 cups) shiitake mushrooms, chopped (Feel free to substitute another mushroom.)
1 zucchini, diced small ( 1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon or oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup carrots (about 3), peeled and diced small
3/4 cup lentils, rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup frozen corn (optional)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 recipe Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes (recipe below)

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a 4-quart pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and saute them until translucent, about 4 minutes.Add the mushrooms, zucchini, garlic, tarragon, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, lentils and broth. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, stirring every once in a while.

By now, the lentils should be tender, and most of the broth should be absorbed. If that hasn’t happened, then keep the pot covered and simmer the lentils a while longer. Conversely, if the broth has evaporated and the lentils are not soft, then add a bit of water and simmer. (Mine was not absorbed, so I cooked for an additional 10 minutes. There will still be some broth left in the pot).

When the lentils are soft, stir in the Worcestershire sauce, corn (if using) and peas. Let the mixture sit off the heat for 10 minutes or so for maximum flavor. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

To Serve: Spoon a cup of Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes into a bowl, and top it with a cup of lentils. I layered the mash on top of the lentils because I wanted it to look just like the real deal.

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

2 russet potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets (I used a bag of frozen florets because chopping cauliflower is annoying and SO messy!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Smart Balance buttery spread (optional)

Instructions:

Place the potatoes in a 4-quart pot, and fill it with enough cold water to cover them, making sure there are about 4 inches of extra water on top (for when you add the cauliflower). Bring the potatoes to a boil.

Once the water is boiling, add the cauliflower, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender.

Drain them in a colander, return them to the pot, and use a potato masher to mash them a bit.

Add the oil, 2 tablespoons of broth, and the salt and pepper. Mash a bit more. Use a fork to make sure all the seasoning are mixed well.

If needed, add another 2 tablespoons of broth. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Serve warm.

TWD: Maple Cornmeal Drop Biscuits

2011-05-17T10:06:00.003-04:00

This weeks Dorie-tastic recipe was chosen by Lindsay of A Little Something...Sweet! This was a great choice, as it was so easy to throw together and I had everything I needed. The biscuits were crunchy on the outside, moist and crumbly in the middle, with a slight hint of maple sweetness. Unfortunately, all I had was the "fake" maple syrup, so the flavor wasn't as pronounced as I would have liked. But have no fear! I solved that by drizzling syrup over a hot biscuit. Delicious!

Thanks for the great choice, Lindsay!

Chip, Chip, HOORAY!

2011-05-16T10:46:00.005-04:00

Trust me. These aren't gross and scary, but rather delicious and incredibly addictive. However, just don't eat a whole baking sheet full of them. Again, trust me.

Kale Chips
adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale, stems removed and torn into bite-sized pieces (I use the bags of pre-torn kale, but be sure to tear out the stems and re-wash it yourself)
Olive oil (I use the spray for better coverage)
Salt
Pepper
Old Bay (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine kale with olive oil, salt, pepper and old bay, if using. Spread out into an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Keep a VERY close eye on this, as it can burn easily. You want the chips to be slightly browned and crisp, not soggy.

I want to quiche you all over

2011-05-16T10:28:00.003-04:00

This quiche is probably one of the easiest and most impressive dishes you can throw together for a last-minute brunch/lunch. You probably already have the ingredients in your house, and all you need is a baking time of 40 minutes! My mom got this recipe from a family friend, and passed it along to me. It's cheesy, filling, flavorful and did I mention, incredibly easy?

Crustless Spinach Quiche

Ingredients:
1 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
5 eggs (or eggbeaters)
3/4lb Munster cheese, grated (could use another kind if you prefer, but I think Munster gives it a perfectly creamy and cheesy flavor)
Salt
Pepper
1/4 tsp dried dill
dash of nutmeg
dash of dry mustard

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 and spray a round pie pan or quiche pan (10-12 inch).

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a pan and saute the onion and drained spinach. Continue to cook until the onion has softened and the liquid has evaporated from the spinach.

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and cheese, and then stir in the onion/spinach mixture and the spices. Pour into your dish, and bake for 40 minutes (until top is browned). This can be made ahead, cooled, and then frozen. Defrost in the fridge and reheat in the oven prior to serving.

Apple Nut Bread Pudding

2011-05-08T11:19:00.002-04:00

The way I see it, you really have only two options for leftover challah: French toast or bread pudding. Sure, you could take the easy way out and have a lot of sliced toast for a few days, but c'mon...isn't custardy goodness always a better choice?

We had half of a loaf of whole wheat challah left after Shabbat dinner, so Alex asked for bread pudding. I hopped over to one of my favorite sites, King Arthur Flour, and found this recipe that fit perfectly, as I already had all the ingredients on hand! Chop, mix, stir, bake and 35 minutes later, we're enjoying hot and cinnamony apple walnut bread pudding.

Ingredients:
3 cups 3/4-inch bread cubes, made from stale bread
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk (or light cream)
1/4 cup boiled cider (for the most pronounced apple flavor), cider or apple juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice, or 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup diced unpeeled apple
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except melted butter.

Spread in a buttered 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Drizzle with melted butter.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until no liquid shows and pudding appears firm. Serve warm, or refrigerate until ready to serve, then reheat.

Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas

2011-05-03T10:24:00.003-04:00

Sounds a little strange, but these are mouth-wateringly delicious. I snagged the recipe from Gina's Skinny Taste blog and was very excited to try it based on all the reviews and comments. I love the recipes in her blog!

She uses large La Tortilla Factory wraps, but I couldn't find them anywhere around me. I ended up using smaller regular tortillas from Whole Foods, which made 8 enchiladas instead of her original 4.

The filling is garlicky and creamy from the cheese, and the homemade enchilada sauce is smoky and spicy. We loved this recipe and I can't wait to make it again! Definite winner.

Ingredients:
Filling:
cooking spray
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium scallions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 medium zucchinis, grated
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 cups grated reduced fat mexican blend cheese
4 Large La Tortilla Factory Low Carb tortillas
chopped scallions (optional)
chopped cilantro (optional)

Enchilada sauce:
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (optional for more heat)
1 cups tomato sauce
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder (to taste)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup fat free vegetable broth
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

Instructions:
For the enchilada sauce: in a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chile, chili powder, cumin, broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

a medium nonstick skillet, sauté garlic and scallions in olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes; add zucchini, salt and pepper to taste and cook about 4-5 minutes.

Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup cheese; mix well. Divide zucchini between in each tortilla, roll and place seam side down in baking dish. Top with enchilada sauce (you might not use all) and remaining cheese and bake until hot and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

Serve with chopped cilantro, scallions, and reduced fat sour cream if you wish. Enjoy!!
This ends up being 7 pointsplus per serving.

TWD: Mixed Berry Double Crisp

2011-04-12T12:07:00.004-04:00

I'm back, baby!!!

::smooches Dorie's cookbook::

Oh, how I missed this cookbook! This baking group! The smell of butter and sugar caramelizing in my oven!

I waited until this little goober went down for his mid-day nap and then sped my way through the weekly recipe.

What are you making, Mom? Can I have some? It smells GREAT!

This weeks recipe was chosen by the lovely Sarah, of Teapots and Cakestands. Sadly, rhubarb were nowhere to be found around me, even the frozen kind. So I went with the next best thing - a bag of frozen mixed berries. I still followed the recipe, with a few adjustments, and it came out perfectly. The crumb topping is split into a top and bottom crust, sending waves of butter and sugar through the whole house as it bubbles in the oven. Alex and I enjoyed every bite of this - and it was great for breakfast the next day, as well! Great choice, Sarah.

Curried Chicken Salad

2011-04-11T12:03:00.004-04:00

Sometimes, the easiest dinner for us is to simply roast a chicken and use the leftovers for the next few meals. With just two of us (okay, and the scraps we feed to the dog), a whole chicken can get us pretty far. However, there are times when I want to jazz up my leftovers and get out of the same meal after a day or two. So I took this leftover chicken and made it into Curried Chicken Salad. I'm magical like that.

(if you like curry, you'll love my curried egg salad- yum!)

This is a great recipe because you can easily tailor it to your own tastes. I improvised, using what I know of other curried-salad-things, and just threw in a little of this and a little of that.

Ingredients:
Roast chicken, cut into chunks
Approx. 1/4 cup mayo (depending on your tastes)
Curry powder
Ginger powder
Salt
Pepper
Mango chutney, optional
Celery, chopped, optional (choptional?)

Instructions: Combine mayo, curry, ginger, salt, pepper, mango chutney and celery in a bowl, adjusting spices until you're happy with it. Throw in chicken and stir to combine. Let the flavors meld for a little while before serving - about an hour in the fridge.

Backlog of Recipes: Gerard's Mustard Tart

2011-03-25T11:55:00.004-04:00

I was cooking and baking up until Eli was born, although somewhat sporadically and only things that I could make easily. However, I didn't blog about them because well...I went and had the baby. So the next series of posts are going to be recipes that I made in the past few months, photographed, but never posted. Along with some delicious baby pictures, of course.

This little bugger is nearly 4 months old already! I can't believe it. Those thighs are totally nom-worthy.

Gerard's Mustard Tart

This is a recipe from Dorie's newest book, Around My French Table. It was the weekly recipe for French Friday's with Dorie, a group I have sadly neglected (along with Tuesdays with Dorie - waaaaahhhh!). It's a delicious and easy dinner, pairs nicely with a green salad, and can be altered to include whatever vegetable you would like. The original recipe calls for steamed leeks and carrots, but she lists an option with tomatoes in her "Playing Around" section. I had tomatoes on-hand, so voila...Mustard Tomato Tart. Delish - esp if you like mustard...and we do!

Ingredients:

3 carrots (not too fat), trimmed and peeled
3 thin leeks, white and light green parts only, cut lengthwise in half and washed
(This was where I subbed in grape tomatoes, halved)
2 rosemary sprigs
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons crème fraîche or heavy cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, or to taste
2 tablespoons grainy mustard, preferably French, or to taste
Salt, preferably fleur de sel, and freshly ground white pepper
1 9- to 9½-inch tart shell made from Tart Dough, partially baked and cooled (I cheated and used a premade crust. Do it!)

Instructions:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Cut the tomatoes in half, or if you're using large ones, into 1/4 inch slices.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs together with the crème fraîche or heavy cream. Add the mustards, season with salt and white pepper - mustard has a tendency to be salty, so proceed accordingly - and whisk to blend. Taste and see if you want to add a little more of one or the other mustards.

Put the tart pan on the lined baking sheet and pour the filling into the crust. Arrange the tomatoes cut-side down over the filling - they can go in any which way, but they're attractive arranged in spokes coming out from the center of the tart. Top with the remaining rosemary sprig and give the vegetables a sprinkling of salt and a couple of turns of the pepper mill.

Bake the tart for about 30 minutes, or until it is uniformly puffed and lightly browned here and there and a knife inserted into the center of the custard comes out clean. Transfer the tart to a cooling rack and let it rest for 5 minutes before removing the sides of the pan.

Lemon Caper Chicken Thighs

2011-03-05T13:19:00.002-05:00

So I've been a little preoccupied. Can you blame me? With these 12.5lbs of deliciousness hanging around, it's a little hard to get anything done! Eli is scrumptious and just the sweetest most mellow baby ever. Just like his daddy.

As it turns out, cooking and baking one-handed while bouncing around a baby and singing "Old MacDonald..." isn't as easy as you'd think! Most of the dinners I have thrown together over the past few weeks have either been an old favorite that I knew by heart, or a bunch of odds and ends. However, I did go back to Weight Watchers, so you'll see a lot more of their recipes on here.

This newest addition is chicken thighs sauteed in a lemon-caper sauce. Very easy, and very delicious! I had some boneless skinless thighs to use up, and this recipe popped out at me because we love capers in just about everything. The final sauce was nice and tart from the lemon, and each bite of caper gave off a really good salty contrast. I will definitely make this one again!

Lemon Caper Chicken Thighs
adapted from Weight Watchers

Ingredients:
1 spray(s) cooking spray
1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/4 pound(s) skinless chicken thigh(s), about 8 thighs (buy regular ones, take the skin off)
1 cup(s) canned chicken broth
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp capers (I used at least 3TBS)

3 cup(s) uncooked string beans, steamed or roasted, as your side dish

Instructions:
Coat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat.

In a small bowl, combine flour with pepper; sprinkle over chicken. Brown chicken in a single layer in prepared skillet until golden on bottom, about 6 minutes; flip and brown on second side, about 4 minutes more. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside. (If necessary, brown chicken in two batches.)

Pour broth into skillet and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Return chicken to skillet, cover and reduce heat to low; simmer until heated through, about 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and capers; heat for 30 seconds. Yields 2 chicken thighs, 3/4 cup string beans and about 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce per serving.

6 pointsplus per serving

The Most Delicious Thing I've Ever Made

2010-12-26T18:29:00.002-05:00

Well, clearly, I've been a little lax in posting, but I have a very good reason! This is the most delicious thing I've ever made:

Eli Jonathan was born on December 7th, 2010 at 11:14pm, weighing in at 7lbs 2oz and 20.1 inches long. He's totally scrumptious and we're smitten. He's a really good baby, and although we're short on sleep, he makes me smile every day.

I'll get back to regular blogging soon, but for now, Brina's Kitchen is taking a brief maternity leave!

Pumpkin Gingerbread

2010-11-16T09:09:00.002-05:00

Yup, it's as good as you think it's going to be. If a loaf of pumpkin bread and a loaf of gingerbread decided to have a baby...this would be their delicious lovechild. Fragrant, spicy, tender, and just the right amount of sweetness (at least in my version). The full recipe makes 2 loaves and I planned to bring one to work. Until I tasted it and decided that it was much better suited for my freezer to enjoy at a future date. What can I say? I'm selfish like that.

Make this. Now. You won't be sorry.

Pumpkin Gingerbread

adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar (I used 1 cup white sugar and 1.5 cups brown)
1 cup vegetable oil (could use applesauce as a fat-free replacement. Won't alter taste at all!)
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.

In a large mixing, combine sugar, oil and eggs; beat until smooth. Add water and beat until well blended. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice cinnamon, and clove.

In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Divide batter between prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour. If you're using dark pans, watch the crust. I had to tent mine with foil after about 50 minutes and they were still a little crispy on the bottom.

Ugly, yet delicious

2010-11-11T13:03:00.004-05:00

Don't judge a book by its cover! This meal, while ugly and kind of strange looking, is absolutely delicious. It's Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash with Lentils and Goat Cheese. I just finished the leftovers for lunch and I want more.

I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen (check it out for a great picture of what this recipe is supposed to look like) and knew that it would be perfect for us. We both love roasted squash and the tang of goat cheese. Deb recommends adding in the toasted squash seeds for a bit of crunch and I'm very glad I did! They were crispy and salty little surprises in the dish.

The actual recipe took a little longer than I anticipated, but Alex was more than willing to help out when I needed to sit. 35 weeks down...5 to go. EEK!

The only changes I will make for next time would be to double the spices on the squash (made the changes in the posted recipe, but feel free to adjust for your taste). I couldn't really taste them after roasting, and I want that punch of spice. I didn't have paprika, so I used chili powder with a little cayenne thrown in. Great combination, but still not enough as the goat cheese is pretty strong.

This works great as a side dish, or as a vegetarian main course for two, along with a nice salad or some crispy bread. Thanks for another winner, Smitten Kitchen!

Spicy Squash Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Bon Appetit

Deb says: "If you’d like to toast the seeds, simply clean them off, rinse and pat them dry and toast them in the oven on an oiled baking sheet, sprinkled with salt." I recommend doing this! They are delicious.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup black or green lentils
6 cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash (1-inch cubes...from about a 2-pound squash)
3 TBS olive oil, divided
2-3 tsp ground cumin
2-3 tsp hot smoked Spanish paprika
1-2 tsp coarse salt
4 cups baby arugula (I skipped this)
1 cup soft crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves (skipped)
1 TBS red wine vinegar, plus additional to taste (I added another TBS)
Roasted seeds (about 1/2 cup) from your butternut squash (optional; see note above)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss squash with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika and salt. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet and roast 20 minutes. Flip pieces and roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Cool.

Meanwhile, soak lentils for 10 minutes in a small bowl, then drain. Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water, then drain and cool.

Combine lentils, squash, any oil you can scrape from the baking sheet with arugula, if using, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper and extra vinegar, if desired (I felt it needed it). Divide among plates and pass with remaining goat cheese to sprinkle.

Indian Lentil Dal Nirvana

2010-11-04T09:45:00.003-04:00

I love Indian food. Love love love. There's something about the combination of spices that just makes me crave more. I've tried to duplicate my restaurant favorites at home, and while they've been good...it hasn't given me what I want.

Last night's dinner was adapted from Steamy Kitchen, a wonderful cooking blog. Lentil Dal is easy enough to make and lentils are very nutritious. That made me feel better about the butter I used in this, anyways. Only 6-ish more weeks of using a free hand with butter in my recipes. Sigh. Any longer and I run the risk of this baby looking like Paula Deen! I did use one small replacement for the recipe, though, as I only had a small amount of light cream in the fridge. I used a trick I learned at chowhound.com. Simply take cottage-cheese and whirl it through your food processor until all the lumps are gone. This can be a great replacement for cream in baking or cooking, depending on what you need.

The long cooking time allowed all the spices to develop and merge together, and it mellowed out the acidic bite of tomatoes that I tasted in the begining. I threw in a little Garam Masala for some extra sweetness, but that's just me. It would have been even better with some buttery naan bread, but I have yet to find a naan recipe that doesn't require me to fire up the grill. That ain't gonna happen in rainy November!

Indian Lentil Dal Nirvana

adapted from Steamy Kitchen

Ingredients: (I doubled everything)

1 cup dry lentils
6 ounces canned crushed tomato
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less depending on your spice preference)
1 cup water
4 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon salt, more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Instructions:
In a large sauce pan, add the lentils and fill with water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the lentils open and are tender.

Drain the water from the lentils and return the lentils to the pot. Stir the lentils around in the pot mashing some of them against the pot to break open. Add the tomato puree, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, water, butter, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 hour at low heat until the dal is thick. Make sure to check the pot periodically to make sure the water does not cook out. Stir periodically, making sure that the lentils aren't stuck to the bottom.

Stir in cream, garnish with minced cilantro. Enjoy!

Halloween & Old Bay Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2010-11-02T16:02:00.007-04:00

I have such wonderful memories of pumpkin carving with my family when I was little. My dad would lug a big pumpkin onto our kitchen table (covered in newspaper, of course) and Ada and I would dig out the guts, shrieking in grossed-out delight. All while my mom took Polaroids and then roasted the seeds. If only I could find those pics somewhere!

After we carved a silly or scary face, my dad would rig up the pumpkin above our front door and hook up a light through the guest bedroom window. He's an engineer, so I'm pretty sure that this was like playtime for him. I was so proud that our house had a carved and lit pumpkin, standing tall and proud where everyone could see it!

This past Halloween, Alex wanted to carve a pumpkin and I wanted to roast the seeds. I can't wait for him to start a pumpkin carving tradition with our little goblin (due in 6 weeks..AHHH!). He drew a face freehand and went to town, while I took care of seed-prep. We lit a candle inside the pumpkin as soon as it got dark and the neighborhood kids loved it.

It's incredibly easy to roast pumpkin seeds, but it does take a little prep work. You have to wash them right away, or the "guts" will dry and it's impossible to remove them. But overall, it's a delicious snack to munch on while opening the door to Wolverine, Harry Potter, DJ Lance, Hannah Montana and the cutest little firefighter ever.

Ingredients:
Pumpkin seeds
Oil
Old Bay (or any other seasoning you like!)
Salt

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 325.

After removing the "guts" from your pumpkin, rinse all the seeds under cold water, in a colander. Remove them from the stringy pumpkin, making sure to get it all off or it will dry on there. Pat dry with a towel.

Toss the seeds in a bowl with a little oil and seasonings, and then spread in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until they are dry and slightly toasted. Enjoy!

This was my costume...I was an 8-ball. I mean, really...what else could I possibly be with this ginormous belly??

French Fridays with Dorie: Marie-Helene's Apple Cake

2010-10-29T21:46:00.003-04:00

Lessons Learned From My First Recipe with My New Dorie Group:

1) Dorie still rocks...and so does this new cookbook

2) Brown butter makes everything taste amazing

3) It's possible to make a delicious apple cake at 8PM

4) When Dorie tells you to use a springform pan...use a springform pan

5) No matter how much you want a slice, let a cake fully cool before trying to remove it

6) Alex and his pregnant wife will eat it anyways, even when it looks terrible

7) One slice of Marie-Helene's Apple Cake is not enough

French Fridays with Dorie. Because there is NEVER enough Dorie in my life!

Vegetable Cobbler

2010-10-29T09:22:00.003-04:00

AKA...a way to use up all those vegetable leftovers!

I saw this recipe last week on Ezra Pound Cake (one of my favorite cooking blogs) and it immediately captured my attention. I suffer from "Leftover Vegetable Syndrome", which means I find myself with one lonely leek, a sad looking onion or two, dried up carrots and a few other random others rolling around in the crisper drawer. I never know what to do with them! I have also been craving chicken pot pie, but Alex isn't really a fan. So...here is the perfect recipe to not only meet my craving, but to use up all my veggies! YAY! The great thing about this recipe is that you can really use whatever vegetables you have around the house. Feel free to throw in all those leftover bits and pieces!

The vegetables, spices and broth simmer together to create a delicious and thick filling, and then the whole thing is topped with a buttery herb biscuit dough. It felt pretty labor-intensive to me, but I'm a bit biased right now since anything that requires me to stand for more than 5 minutes is kind of tiring! I was missing a key ingredient (mustard) and I think that would have really pulled everything together. Overall, it was delicious - hot, flavorful, filling and fairly healthy too. It also made a huge batch, so we'll have plenty of leftovers during this cold weekend.

Vegetable Cobbler

adapted from Ezra Pound Cake & Moosewood Restaurant New Classics

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or butter)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onions
1 fennel bulb, core removed, thinly sliced (optional. I used a leek instead)
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 to 5 cups sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes (or butternut squash)
2 cups chopped potatoes
2 cups peeled and chopped carrots (or parsnips)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups water or vegetable stock
3 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Biscuit Topping:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill (or any herb you have on hand)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 X 13-inch baking dish.

Warm the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onions, fennel and garlic, cover, and cook on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the salt, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, mushrooms and mustard. Cook until the mushrooms start to release their juices, about 5 minutes.

Add the sweet potato, white potato, carrot, black pepper and water or stock, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender.

Stir the dissolved cornstarch mixture into the simmering vegetables, stirring constantly. When the liquid starts to thicken, mix in the peas, corn, soy sauce and salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. (You can also add a dash of hot sauce.)

Pour the vegetables into the prepared baking dish, and set aside. (Note: I found that there was too much liquid for the baking dish, so I scooped out all the veggies first and then slowly added the broth until it almost reached the top. If I had used the whole thing, I would have had an overflow!)

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter and buttermilk or yogurt. Combine the wet and dry ingredients with as few strokes as possible to make a soft dough.

Drop the biscuit batter over the vegetables in the dish in six equal mounds (I just scattered it all around for better coverage!). Sprinkle the dill (or whatever herb you're using) over the dough.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-10-27T11:51:00.002-04:00

Yup, that's about right. These days, I approach everything at a slow crawl. Or waddle. Depending on how you look at it.

Italian Turkey Meatballs (and a Happy Anniversary!)

2010-10-21T10:44:00.003-04:00

I've never made meatballs before. Alex loves them (and meatloaf, so it goes hand-in-hand), so I decided to treat him on our anniversary. But since I've found that my recent purchases of Kosher ground beef have been unfortunately oversalted, ruining my attempts at anything decent, I went with ground turkey instead. Less fat, but still a good flavor. Ground turkey can be dry and bland on it's own, so it's important to add lots of spices! I upped the spice amount in my ingredient list, but feel free to play around based on your palate.

These came out great, with a really nice texture and the tomato sauce was light and fresh-tasting. If you're not Kosher, feel free to add a handful of grated cheese to the meatball mix, but we didn't miss it at all!

Baked Meatballs

adapted from Temple Aliyah's Even More Delicious cookbook

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs. ground beef (or turkey)

1/2 bread crumbs (I used about a cup)

2-3 eggs (1 egg per lb of meat)

1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh, minced

1 tsp salt

2-3 tsp black pepper

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp dried parsley

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325.

In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together the meat, bread crumbs, eggs, garlic, salt and spices. If it's too dry, add a tsp or so of water. If it's too wet, add some more bread crumbs. Mix until everything is well blended. Roll it gently into balls about 2-3 inches in diameter. (I baked them on a broiler pan, just to catch any fat drips.) Bake for 15-20 minutes, until they look done, but not crisp.

Meanwhile, blend the tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes together in a large pot and bring to a low simmer. If you want, add Italian spices like rosemary, oregano, pepper, marjoram, basil, etc. It won't look like a lot of sauce for the amount of meatballs, but it works. After the meatballs are out of the oven, gently place them in the simmering sauce. Let them simmer for at least 1 hour, covered.

Serve over pasta.

Happy 3 wonderful years to my guy!

TWD: Caramel Pumpkin Pie

2010-10-19T10:17:00.003-04:00

Yeah, you can't really go wrong with a Caramel Pumpkin Pie. I mean, those words alone conjure up images of crisp fall weather, deliciously spicy fall flavors, and most importantly, Alex's favorite holiday...Thanksgiving.

This week's Tuesday with Dorie recipe was selected by Janelle of Motensen Family Memoirs...and Janelle, I'd like to give you a big hug right now. This recipe is delicious! I was a little confused as to how the caramel would come into play (layered? covered? drizzled?) but the actual reality of it was much better than my imagination! The caramel is cooked until it's a deep amber color, and then whisked into the pumpkin filling. Together, they create a lovely deep flavor that is different from your usual pie, but hard to describe. Spicier, darker, richer, more...I don't know exactly...fall-ier.

I had a few technical difficulties with the caramel, but the flavor was spot on. I think this one will make a re-appearance at the Thanksgiving Day table! That is, if I can reach the stove by that point. Thanks for the great recipe choice, Janelle. Although it wasn't as exciting as last Tuesday, it was just as scrumptious!

Creamy Polenta with Black Beans

2010-10-19T10:01:00.004-04:00

I decided that I need to re-visit my cookbook collection, instead of letting it sit and languish on my shelves. I grabbed three that I hadn't used in a while and promised myself that I would pick one recipe from each to make over the next week or so.

Last night was recipe #1, from a book I haven't ever cracked open - MinuteMeals Quick and Healthy Menus. It's a nice concept. Each recipe is an entire menu, with an entree, side and dessert. And they are all healthy and fairly simple. I didn't make the whole menu because we don't need that much food, but the entree I tried was a real winner. The sharp and salty feta makes a great base in the polenta, and helps keep it pretty creamy. Polenta itself is bland, so I like to dress it up with butter and salt. However, this one didn't need anything other than some pepper and the feta. The beans and vegetables are flavorful and filling, perfectly complemented by the salty polenta. Yum!

I'm sorry the picture stinks! I had a wonderful shot all lined up when my camera battery died. So, I picked up more later that night when Alex and I went for our flu shots. This second picture is from my dinner #2, around 8PM.

Ingredients:

5 cups water

1 cup instant polenta (cornmeal)

1/2 cup crumbled garlic and herb flavored feta (I used regular b/c it was $3 cheaper!)

1 large tomato, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes, with garlic and onion

1.5 cups frozen and diced green pepper (I used fresh)

1 tsp dried oregano

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (I used 2 cans)

1/4 tsp black pepper

Optional - 1 onion, chopped

Instructions
Make the polenta: Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan, covered, over high heat. Slowly stir in the polenta, whisking while you pour, to avoid lumps. Bring to a bare simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until it's thickened and soft. Stir in the feta, cover and remove from heat.

Make the black beans: Coarsely chop the tomato (and onion if you're using it). Heat a large skillet over medium heat, spray with cooking spray, and cook the onion until soft. If you're not using the onion, heat the canned and chopped tomatoes together in the skillet along with the green pepper and oregano. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Drain and rinse the black beans. Add them and the black pepper to the skillet, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes until beans are hot.

Serve the beans over polenta.

My REAL Tuesday with Dorie

2010-10-13T13:22:00.002-04:00

This woman rocks. She's adorable, warm, funny and just a joy to be around. It's so clear that she loves what she does and she loves meeting her bloggers!

I was invited to join her Washington Post cooking session yesterday, and I could barely contain my excitement. I've been a Tuesdays with Dorie baker for 2.5 years now, and I just joined French Friday's with Dorie, in honor of her amazing new book. She came to the WaPo kitchen for a cooking demonstration, but we were all so busy chatting and hanging out, that she didn't even start making anything for the first 40 minutes. Loved it!

I, unfortunately, couldn't stay the whole time, as I had to make it home in time for a baby class. I didn't want to leave. I could cook with Dorie all day long and never get tired. I watched her make chocolate mousse and start on a delicious chive and cheese bread (both of which are in her SCRUMPTIOUS new book!), and I left with some wonderful memories.

Dorie, you're the best! Thanks for letting me crash your interview and for all the good wishes.

Spicy Biscotti for a Spicy Gal

2010-10-11T09:54:00.005-04:00

My friend Val is awesome. How awesome is she? Well...let me tell you...

1) We survived grad school together...in INDIANA. East coast Jewish ladies don't belong in Indiana. She would buy me vanilla lattes with her on-campus dining points and always made me smile. She was a year ahead of me and gave great "survive this program" advice

2) She introduced me to the amazing world of kick-ass college a capella

3) I loved visiting her apartment b/c it was always decorated in the most amazing way - colorful, Broadway inspired and oh-so-cheerful

4) She doesn't take it personally when I say "DUKE SUCKS!" b/c even though she works there, she knows I still love her

5) She designed this blog like a trillion months ago and let me pay her in cookies

So...I have finally gotten my pregnant butt in gear and baked her cookies. They will be shipped off to North Carolina, where she and her very bakingly-talented fiance Matt will enjoy them. Val and Matt try to eat healthy, so she requested some Weight Watcher friendly treats. No problem! I knew that the mini-chocolate chip cookies would be a winner, and I thought about making meringues. Turns out, though, that meringues are not a shipping friendly cookie. Those things will turn to sugary dust if you look at them wrong. Hearty biscotti it was, then!

This recipe came from a random internet search and I was a little skeptical of the spice amounts. I tweaked them based on my experiences and I'm very happy with the results (I ate the end pieces and saved them the rest!). I did make a few changes to the baking time, since I think it needed some help in that area. But overall, these spiced biscotti are delicious! They would be great with a cup of tea or coffee...or even dunked in a glass of milk.

Weight Watchers Spiced Biscotti (2 points each)

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground cloves (changed to 1tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, pinch nutmeg)
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Cooking spray (or silicone baking mats)

Instructions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; beat at low speed of a mixer for 1 minute. Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl; gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating until well-blended (dough will be soft).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; shape dough into 3 (6 x 4-inch) rectangles. Place rectangles on a baking sheet covered with cooking spray; flatten to 3/4 inch thickness. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes. Remove rectangles from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.
*note - mine were still raw in the middle after 25 minutes, perhaps b/c I made them thicker than 3/4 inch. If you make them larger, increase baking time to about 30-35 minutes*

Cut each rectangle diagonally into (3/4 inch) slices. If they are still raw in the center, reduce oven heat to 250, line them back up on the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes at the low heat.

Pumpkin & Maple Cream Cheese Muffins

2010-10-06T21:14:00.004-04:00

I mentioned my new favorite kitchen ingredient in my last post, King Arthur Flour Boiled Cider Syrup. There is a slew of amazing-sounding recipes on the KAF site that uses this cider, and these caught my eye. Did I mention that I love fall flavors?

The recipe calls for the cream cheese to be flavored with a lemon/vanilla flavoring, but I really wanted to highlight the combination of maple and pumpkin. Maple cream cheese? Uh, yeah. It's as good as you think it will be.

These muffins have a great flavor, however, they were a little more dense than I was expecting. I had expected a fluffier crumb, which I didn't get. It could be user error, but I'm not sure. The texture won't stop anyone in this house from enjoying them, though.

Well...maybe one of us won't get a sample...no matter how cute she looks snuggled into my arms.

Inside Out Pumpkin Muffins
adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:
1 cup puréed pumpkin
2 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup boiled cider (for best flavor), or dark corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose or King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour, preferably organic

Filling
1 8-ounce package cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
a few drops Fiori di Sicilia flavor, optional (I used maple. Other bakers suggested almond or vanilla)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400, and line a muffin tin with liners.

To make the batter: Whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, boiled cider or corn syrup, salt, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and milk. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the flour and mix until well combined.

To make the filling: Place the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat on low power for 40 seconds. Stir in the sugar and flavor.

Drop about 2 tablespoons of the batter (a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here) into each muffin cup, spreading it to cover the bottom. Dollop on a heaping tablespoon of filling, then cover with another 2 tablespoons of batter.

Bake the standard muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out crumb-free. Transfer them to a rack to cool.

Yield: 12 regular muffins.

TWD: Double Apple Bundt Cake

2010-10-05T11:47:00.005-04:00

It's FALL! It's here! FINALLY!
Crisp leaves!
Pumpkin!
Cool air!
Apples!
Pumpkin!
Maple!
Cinnamon!
Cider!
Pumpkins!
FALL!!!!!!!!!!

I love fall.

This week's TWD recipe was a delicious way to usher in my favorite season - a spiced apple bundt cake, studded with raisins, pecans and bursting with apple yumminess. I spiked the cake with a little of my new favorite ingredient, King Arthur Flour Boiled Cider. What is this magic concoction, you might ask? Oh, nothing...just the nectar of the Fall Gods. Spicy apple cider flavor, intensified into a syrup that you can use in all your baking. Love.

I didn't do the optional glaze topping, since the cake was perfect as a not-too-sweet breakfast. Of course, I forgot to take a picture before Alex whisked it off to work.

But you can check out the rest of the bakers to see what this gloriously delicious cake looked like! It's a real winner; not too sweet and stays moist and tasty for days. YUM!

Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs

2010-10-01T10:12:00.003-04:00

Chicken thighs are a really inexpensive and delicious option that I hadn't considered before! I normally buy a whole 8-pc cut up chicken, but these were only $5 compared to my usual $13! How could I say no? I googled around for recipes, and found this very simple one that took about 20 minutes. Or, it would have if I hadn't sat down half-way through to rest my feet :-)

It's pretty tasty, although Alex thought the sauce was a tad too sweet. I may have added too much honey, so next time, I'll cut back and double up on the mustard. The chicken cooks up really easily, so you can throw everything in the pan and just read the next chapter of Happiest Baby on the Block while it cooks. Well...okay, not everyone will do that, but some of us do!

adapted from about.com

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. butter (olive oil to keep it kosher)
1 lb. pkg. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 carrots, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Instructions:
Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat.

Add chicken and carrots and cook for 8-10 minutes until chicken is browned on bottom. Turn chicken and add remaining ingredients. Cover pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-13 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Serve over hot cooked rice or couscous.

Pasta Puttanesca

2010-09-29T13:35:00.003-04:00

My kitchen energy comes and goes in spurts. Sometimes, I'm able to stand at the stove and comfortably whip up a dinner and/or my latest dessert craving. More often than not, though, a recipe that would normally take 30 minutes tends to take me about 45-50, since I'll take some sitting breaks to rest my back. I love being pregnant, don't get me wrong...but I get frustrated at only being able to function at 60% of my normal pace!

This dinner was one of those chop-sit-stir-sit-mix-sit-sit-sit-eat deals. Still delicious, even though it took me a while! The pictures aren't so great, but I blame our old camera. I think we should invest in a new one before Baby gets here.

It's from Ellie Kreiger's Healthy Appetite collection, and she's got some great recipes there. Very little fat, a ton of flavor, and lots of good ideas for replacements in order to make things more healthy. The only thing I left out of this one was anchovy paste because it's hard to find and really, yuck. Overall, though, a nice pasta dish, with a good salty bite. And it made a TON, so we had plenty for lunch leftovers.

Enjoy!

Pasta Puttanesca

adapted from Ellie Kreiger

Ingredients:
8 ounces whole-wheat thin spaghetti, vermicelli or angel hair
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted chopped Spanish or Greek olives
2 tablespoons capers
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably "no salt added"
3/4 cup chopped fresh arugula
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to the directions on the package.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium flame. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the parsley, olives, capers, anchovy paste, oregano and crushed red pepper to the skillet, and saute for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the arugula and simmer for 1 minute more, until the greens wilt slightly.

When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the skillet, tossing it with the sauce to combine. Top with grated cheese.

End of Summer Fruit Galette

2010-09-27T16:06:00.005-04:00

Over Labor Day weekend, Alex and I went to Deep Creek Lake with some friends and enjoyed the last days of summer. I mean, technically, summer didn't end until last week, but there was a lovely chill in the air and it helped us get ready for fall. We had a wonderful time!

On Saturday night, we all created one course for dinner, using ingredients from the local farmers market. I, of course, made dessert and we used some delicious peaches and raspberries to make a fruit galette. I brought along my Baking by Dorie book and used her Summer Fruit Galette recipe, with a few tweaks to adapt for time and limited supplies. It was still delicious, though. Dorie, you never let me down!

The rest of the meal was amazing, as well. We had fried green tomatoes, a great squash salad (I'm totally getting that recipe, I promise), homemade marinara sauce, vegetarian stuffed peppers and my galette.

*Recipe Note* I did not use Dorie's Good For Everything Pie Dough b/c it's too buttery for my tastes. Instead, I used Mark Bittman's pie crust recipe, which turned out just perfectly!

Ingredients:
Good For Almost Everything Pie Dough for a single crust, chilled (pg 442) (or you can use Mark Bittman's recipe, like I did)
2-3 tablespoons jam or marmalade
about 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs (I left out)
Fresh summer fruit: about 10 apricots, 8-10 nectarines, 8 ripe but firm peaches, 8-10 firm plums or 2 stalks rhubarb
Decorating (coarse) or granulated sugar, for dusting

For the Custard (I left out, due to lack of time. Should have added it, though!)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Instructions:
Center rack in the oven and preheat to oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment (see below) or a silicone mat.

To make it easier to move the pie dough onto the baking sheet, roll the dough between sheets of parchment paper ( in which case, you can use one of the rolling sheets to line the baking sheet) or wax paper or plastic wrap. Alternatively work on a well-floured surface, taking care to keep the dough moving by turning it and flouring the surface often.

Roll the dough into a large 1/8 inch thick circle. Using a pastry wheel or a paring knife, time the dough to a 13 inch diameter. Using a cake pan or a pot lid as a template and the tip of a bunt kitchen knife as a marker, lightly trace a 9 inch circle in the center of the dough- this is the area for the filling.

With the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula, spread some of the jam over the circle- how much will depend of the jam flavor you want. Sprinkle over the crumbs, adding a little more than 2 tablespoons if you think you’ve got particularly juicy fruit. Put a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper over the dough and refrigerate it while you prepare the fruit.

Wipe the apricots, nectarines or plums clean with a damp towel and cut in half; discard the pits. Blanch peaches for 10 seconds in a pot of boiling water, transfer them to a bowl of ice water to cool, then slip off the skins. Halve and pit the peaches or peel rhubarb to remove the strings, and cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces.

Arrange the fruit on the dough, cut side down if using stone fruits, then gently lift the unfilled border of dough up and onto the filling. As you lift the dough and place it on the filling, it will pleat. If you’re not in a rush, freeze the galette for 15 minutes to give the crust a rest.

Brush the dough very lightly with a little water, then sprinkle it with a teaspoon or two of sugar. Bake galette for 25 minutes, or until the crust is brown and the fruit is soft.

Meanwhile, make the custard

Whisk together the melted butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in a bowl; set aside until needed.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven (leave the oven on), and carefully pour the custard around the fruit. Depending one how much juice has accumulated and how much space you have between the fruit, you may not be able to pour all the custard into the galette, but even 2 tablespoons can give the right effect. Pour in as much custard as you can, then carefully return the pan to the oven.

Bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until the custard is set- it shouldn’t jiggle when you gently shake the pan. Cool the galette on the baking sheet on a rack to cool. The galette can be served when it is just warm or- my preference- when it has reached room temperature. Dust with confectioners; sugar just before serving.

I love knishes 'cuz they're so delicious...

2010-09-20T15:33:00.002-04:00

This is a family favorite recipe for the Jewish High Holidays, but they are especially tasty for breaking your fast over Yom Kippur. Creamy potatoes wrapped in butter puff pastry? Yes please!

It's a very simple recipe and you can fill the knishes with whatever your little heart desires. I think next time, I'll try meat knishes and/or broccoli in addition to potato! Oh, and please don't judge me for using instant potatoes. It's a heckuva lot easier to make them smooth and rollable if you don't have to mash them by hand.

But they are worth it! We had an absolute smorgasboard for Break Fast this year (as usual!) and everything disappeared from the table. I did catch the dog licking up puff pastry crumbs from the floor, so I know she approves of the knishes. Even the little kids liked them, which is a win in my book!

Ingredients:

1 package puff pastry, thawed

Potato Buds (or potatoes mashed by hand)

1 egg

1 onion, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Thaw out the puff pastry according to instructions, and pinch the seams together so it's in one solid piece.

Sautee up the onions, set aside. Make the mashed potatoes, either by following box instructions or by hand. If you're doing it by hand, you might want to consider pureeing them so they aren't too lumpy. Think true "mashed" potatoes instead of the trendy "smashed" potatoes! Combine potatoes and onions together. Stir in the egg as a binder.

Place the puff pastry sheet on a lightly greased baking sheet, and lay out a line of filling on the end closest to you. Gently roll the pastry away from you, tucking up the edges as you go, so the filling won't spill out. It's a little messy. It helps to have a towel handy! Lay it seam side down, and repeat with the second pastry roll.

Brush the tops of the rolls with a little melted butter or egg wash, and score the top. I like to score it where I'll eventually end up cutting the completed knishes. This lets the steam out, and helps as a guide for serving portions.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and flaky. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into slices and then serve warm.

Healthy Turkey Tacos

2010-09-14T09:16:00.004-04:00

I finally let Alex eat Mexican food again. He's so excited.

When I was about 7 weeks pregnant, he mentioned craving a burrito, and all of a sudden, all I could smell and taste was sauteed peppers and onions. And I nearly...well...you know what happens during 1st trimester food aversions. So, from that point onward, Mexican food was banned in our house. I couldn't stand to smell it, I couldn't see it on TV, I couldn't even listen to Alex talk about it. It just kept bringing me back to that *awful* smell of sauteed peppers that still, to this day, makes me gag. UGH.

Finally, about 3 weeks ago, I was ready to venture back. No icky stuff, but I could handle spicy food and to be honest, beans smothered in cheese sounded absolutely divine. So we cautiously tried an old favorite, Tamale Pie. And I was okay. Which lead to a Mexican restaurant. And I was okay. So, I took pity on the poor man and made him tacos last night. These were delicious!

I snagged this recipe from a blog I found, Life's Too Short to Eat Fat Free Cheese. Ain't that the truth? She adapted this recipe from Everyday Foods, and I put a few personal tweaks in there as as well. The filling is so flavorful that it doesn't need a lot of topping options. I used an avocado to replace the creaminess of cheese, and tried it with a little Tofutti sour cream.

And just as a side note, it's impossible to eat tacos and stay clean, so the dog was super happy to catch any drips on the floor. She's a good sport like that.

Turkey Tacos
adapted from Fat Free Cheese

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced (I only used 1)
1/2 TBS ground cumin
1/2 TBS chili powder (I used 1 TBS for more kick)
1/2 TSB ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground red pepper (use more or less based on your spice tolerance)
1 pound lean (93/7) ground turkey
8 oz. can no salt added tomato sauce (I used 1 cup salsa)
salt and pepper to taste (omitted)

Instructions:
Warm oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the cumin, chili powder, coriander and red pepper and the ground turkey. Cook, breaking up the turkey as it cooks, until the turkey is browned — about 5-7 minutes.

Stir in the tomato sauce or salsa. Let it come up to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer until the sauce thickens up — about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

TWD: Cherry Pecan Upside-Downer

2010-09-14T09:04:00.004-04:00

This was supposed to be a Cranberry Upside-Downer cake, but there wasn't a single bag of frozen cranberries to be found in all of Pikesville! Okay, okay, they didn't have them at the Giant and I was tired (lazy). But they did have frozen cherries, which sounded perfect for this cake.

This week's fall inspired recipe was chosen by Sabrina of Superfluous. She's got the easy-peasy recipe on her blog and I encourage you to try this one! Use cranberries, if you can find them, cherries, or even late summer peaches. The cinnamon cake makes a great foundation for any fruit, and it's simple enough that you can play around with different types. One word of caution though...if you're using a wet fruit (like canned pineapple, for example) this cake will not last very long! It can become mushy by the next day.

I really liked the flavor of this cake, and I think that I'll try it again for Thanksgiving, but with cranberries!

I'm a Challah back girl

2010-09-12T22:39:00.002-04:00

I apologize for the lack of pictures. My mother-in-law and I made this over Rosh Hashana, and I forgot to bring my camera. I'll post one after Yom Kippur, though, since we froze one of the loaves.

We've made this challah before and it is a delicious and yeasty treat. There's something very satisfying about making your very own braided challah loaf and serving it to your family for a holiday. The recipe itself isn't difficult, but it is time-intensive. There are 2 risings, and in total, it will take about 4 or 5 hours...so plan ahead! But brace yourself...your house will smell AMAZING.

Racheli's Deluxe Challah
adapted from Mollie Katzen's Still Life with Menu

Ingredients:
2.5 cups lukewarm water
1 packet active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar or honey
3 eggs
1 TBS salt
1/2 vegetable oil (plus more for oiling the bowl and baking sheet)
1 cup raisins, optional
8-9 cups unbleached white flour
poppy or sesame seeds for sprinkling, optional

Instructions:
This will yield 2 braided loaves.

Place water in a bowl (make sure it's no warmer than your wrist). Sprinkle in the yeast, and let stand for 5 minutes until it's foamy.

Add sugar/honey, 2 eggs, salt, oil and raisins and beat with a whisk for several minutes.

Begin adding flour one cup at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition. When you reach the 7th cup, start slowing the additions, adding 1/4 cup at a time, mixing and kneading it in with your hands. Stop adding flour when the dough is quite firm and no longer feels sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead it quite vigorously (like you mean it!) for 5-10 minutes. The more kneading the better, but bread dough is very adaptable and will accomodate you.

Oil the bowl and the top of the dough. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with clean tea towel and place in a warm and draft free place to rise until doubled , 1.5-2 hours. If it's warm outside, I like to proof dough in my car. If it's cool outside, I will either use the inside of the oven (off) or a warm corner of the 3rd floor in our house...out of reach of a curious pup.

Punch down the dough, return to the floured surface and divide in half. Knead each half for about 5 minutes, and then divide into thirds. Roll each third into a long rope, about 1.5 inches in diameter, and form 2 braided loaves.

Oil a baking sheet and place the braids on the sheet, about 4 inches apart. Cover with the tea towel, return them to your spot and allow them to rise for about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350. Beat the 3rd egg, and brush it over your loaves. Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds, and bake for 35-45 minutes. The breads will give off a hollow sound when thumped the bottom, when they are done. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a rack.

Shana Tova!

Peanut Butter Noodles

2010-09-08T16:07:00.004-04:00

So one of the fun things about a work potluck is that I can make something I've been craving, knowing that there will be leftovers. Peanut butter has been a staple of my baby-diet, so it's no surprise that I zeroed in on this recipe.

I found a highly-rated recipe online and tweaked it for my tastebuds. I also made this at 10pm, after a very long day, so I was too lazy to do some of the required steps. However, the final product was pretty tasty, if I do say so myself!

Peanut Butter Noodles

adapted from allrecipes.com. I doubled everything for our potluck, and probably ended up adding 1/2 cup of peanut butter, total.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chicken broth (vegetable or water. Broth was pretty salty)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root (or a few teaspoons of powdered ginger)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons hot chile paste (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced (I was lazy and skipped)
8 ounces Udon noodles (I used linguine)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until tender according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, ginger, soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, chili paste, and garlic in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until peanut butter melts and is heated through. Add noodles, and toss to coat. Garnish with green onions and peanuts.

The easiest dinner ever. Pancakes

2010-09-02T15:13:00.003-04:00

I try to take nice pictures of my food. I really really do. Sometimes it works out, but sometimes...not so much. See above.

Regardless of the picture, these pancakes are the easiest recipe to throw together and they taste fantastic. I love experimenting and adding different fillings, such as cinnamon chips, blueberries, bananas, lemon zest, or other fun things. But even without any additions, they are just a good and simple pancake.

Mark Bittman, to the rescue...yet again!

Basic Pancakes

adapted from Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 TBS sugar
1 or 2 eggs
1½ to 2 cups milk
2 Tbsp. melted and cooled butter (optional), plus unmelted butter for cooking, or use oil
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat while you make the batter.

Mix together the dry ingredients. Beat the egg(s) into 1½ cups of milk, then stir in the 2 tablespoons melted cooled butter and vanilla (if you are using them). Gently stir this into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten the flour; don’t worry about a few lumps. If the batter seems thick, add a little more milk.

If your skillet or griddle is nonstick, you can cook the pancakes without any butter (but why would you WANT to???). Otherwise, use a teaspoon or two of butter or oil each time you add batter. When the butter foam subsides or the oil shimmers, ladle batter onto the griddle or skillet, making any size pancakes you like. Adjust the heat as necessary; usually, the first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. The idea is to brown the bottom in 2 to 4 minutes, without burning it. Flip when the pancakes are cooked on the bottom; they won’t hold together well until they’re ready.

Cook until the second side is lightly browned and serve, or hold on an ovenproof plate in a 200-degrees oven for up to 15 minutes.

TWD: Espresso Chocolate Shortbread

2010-08-31T10:43:00.004-04:00

::BOI-OI-OI-OING::

Oh, I'm sorry. Did you say something? I couldn't hear you because the baby and I were bouncing off the walls from the caffeine buzz. So, apparently, giving up all caffinated beverages for 6 months means it will be a BAD idea to eat espresso chocolate cookies before bed. I could literally feel this kid doing flips and kicks for a good 30 minutes.

However, my shortbread feelings still stand: They aren't my cup of tea (espresso?). I just don't like the texture. Alex loves them, though, so I still make them for him...hoping that each time, I'll change my mind and love them. Nope, sorry. I can say, though, that they are asty little things, with a rich coffee dough and studded with chocolate. They aren't too sweet and would go very nicely with a cup of coffee. Decaf, definitely.

Fresh Pea and Ricotta Ravioli

2010-08-30T09:57:00.005-04:00

So I've had a few random cravings hit me over the past 6 months, but nothing really all that strange. I chugged half a 50-oz bottle of Simply Lemonade in the Giant parking lot one afternoon. I also spent an entire weekend eating nothing but hamburgers. However, I hadn't had a moment of "OMG MUST HAVE THAT NOW", until this past Saturday.

I was sitting on the couch, giving my favorite furry brat a belly rub, when Claire Robinson of 5 Ingredient Fix told me that she would make fresh pea and ricotta ravioli. Um, what? Cue instant drooling (by me, not the dog). I had to make that. I wanted to reach through the TV screen and steal those ravioli from her and eat them all NOWNOWNOW. I wanted them so badly that I went to 3 grocery stores to find wonton wrappers.

These are simple yet a little complicated. However, the filling is DIVINE. And this isn't the pregnancy talking...these are oh-so-good. If you like the flavor of sweet peas, then you'll adore these. Peas are pureed with ricotta, seasoned with a little lemon and S&P, and then immediately made into wonton ravioli. So delicious. I ate spoonfuls of the filling straight out of the food processor. Don't judge me.

The complicated part, though, is that it makes a lot of filling and making the little ravioli's is tiring. They also stick together (after cooking) like you wouldn't believe. I used the leftovers to make them again on Sunday for Alex and spread the finished ones on a cookie sheet covered in oiled wax paper. That worked better, but they were still sticky. If you have a good solution for this, I'm all ears! I will make this filling again, but might take the lazy route and just throw it with some pasta instead. It's that good, folks.

Fresh Pea and Ricotta Ravioli

adapted from Food Network, 5 Ingredient Fix

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lemon infused olive oil, plus more for drizzling (I used regular. Who has lemon infused oil hanging around anyways?)
4 slices prosciutto, cut into thin strips (I skipped. Not so kosher!)
12 ounces fresh whole milk ricotta
1 1/2 cups fresh shelled English peas, plus more for garnish (I used frozen. They worked just fine!)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
24 to 36 square wonton wrappers

Lemon juice (to make up for my lack of lemon-infused oil)

Instructions:

If you're using the prosciutto:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a skillet, over medium heat. Add the prosciutto and cook until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Lightly oil a serving plate with some of the prosciutto crisping oil and put it in a warm oven until ready to serve.

If you're not using prosciutto:
Drain the ricotta of excess moisture in a fine mesh sieve for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the peas and blanch them until just tender, about 2 to 3 minutes (a bit longer if you're using frozen). Transfer the peas to an ice water bath, to shock and stop the cooking and preserve the color. Keep the pot of hot water on the stove to cook the ravioli.

Transfer the peas to a food processor and puree with the drained ricotta and salt and pepper, to taste. Add in a little lemon juice, about a teaspoon or so, depending on taste. Put a teaspoon (or more depending on wonton size) of the pea mixture in the center of each wonton wrapper; avoid overfilling. Dampen the inside outer edges of wonton with water and fold, pinching around the borders to ensure that the ravioli is well sealed. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers and filling.

Bring the pot of hot water to a boil over medium heat.

Drop the ravioli, in batches, into the boiling water and cook until tender and the wrapper becomes slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer the cooked ravioli to an oiled serving plate. Drizzle with lemon infused olive oil and top with crispy prosciutto and a few peas. Serve immediately.

So...um...long time no see...

2010-08-25T10:10:00.001-04:00

Yeah. Blog slacker, right here.

My only excuses are vacation, work conference, another work conference and 6 months pregnant.

Any meals I have made have been easy repeats that don't need a post. However, there are a few new ones that I will post in the coming days.

Gazpacho! Lemon Cream Pasta! Yum!

TWD (a day late): Crunchy and Custardy Plum Tart

2010-08-25T09:42:00.005-04:00

I know it's TUESDAYS with Dorie, but I really just couldn't get my act together in time. I finished the tart crust Monday night, and by that time, I had been on my feet all day so I just collapsed on the couch.

However, I was able to finish the tart last night, just in time for Alex's birthday today! It's supposed to be a peach tart, but plums were on sale and I haven't used them for baking yet. It smelled delicious in the oven, and we'll eat it tonight after a birthday dinner. I'm sure, though, that it will taste amazing, if it's anything like Dorie's other fruit tarts! Sweet-tart plums, nestled in almond custard, covered with a brown sugar and almond struesel. Hello, YUM?

While each component of the recipe was easy enough, it was a little much for me try to do over the course of 1 day. I think that baking the crust off and letting it cool overnight is much more efficient (or you know, a pre-made crust...I won't tell on you!). Check out the recipe on Rachel's blog!

Updated: We ate the tart last night and it was DELICIOUS! The plums were still slightly tart and the struesel was just sweet enough. YUM! I recommend either eating it the day it's made, or chilling in the fridge, since it was a tad soggy by the time we cut into it. However, it's a really good way to celebrate summer stone fruit. Oh, and Dorie's Sweet Tart crust? Awesome.

You Say Potato, I say Frittata...

2010-07-28T15:57:00.003-04:00

What, those aren't the real lyrics? I know, I know, but it was hard to make a frittata without singing that song :-)

This was a very light and easy dinner to throw together, after a long and tiring day. I turned to my trusty friend, Mark Bittman, for his glorious "How to Cook Everything" cookbook genius. No, seriously, this book will literally tell you how to cook everything. I love his pancake recipe, too, which I do need to post one day soon.

A frittata is like a thin baked omelet, with lots of room for interpretation. I used whatever we had in the fridge (wasn't much!) and made a cheese/onion/herb frittata with a small side salad. It would have been even better if I had actually been able to add potatoes, but thems the breaks, right?

Ingredients:
1-1.5 TBS butter or olive oil (I would like to note here that since I've been pregnant, I have rediscovered real eggs cooked in real butter, instead of egg whites cooked in Pam spray. Holy deliciousness. I don't know how I can go back)
5-6 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheese, your choice
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. If your skillet is like mine, and has a silicone handle, wrap this in foil to protect it from the oven.

Place the butter or oil in a medium-to-large ovenproof skillet, preferably non-stick, and turn the heat to medium. While it's heating, beat together the eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper. When the butter melts or the oil is hot, pour the eggs into the skillet and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, undisturbed, for about 10 minutes, or until the bottom of the frittata is firm.

Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake, checking every 5 minutes or so, just until the top of the frittata is no longer runny, 10 to 20 minutes more.(To speed things up, turn on the broiler, but be careful not to overcook.) Garnish and serve hot or at room temperature.

TWD: Chewy, Chunky (Monster) Blondies

2010-07-27T09:08:00.004-04:00

Blondes have more fun. Didn't you know that? ::tosses hair::

This week's Dorie recipe of Chewy, Chunky Blondies was chosen by Nicole of Cookies on Friday. Heck, cookies every day sound good to me! The original recipe calls for chocolate chips, coconut, Heath Toffee pieces and nuts. I didn't have any of those ingredients on hand, but I did have a leftover container of Target's Monster Trail Mix, with chocolate chips, M&M's, peanut butter chips, peanuts, and raisins. Close enough, right?

The recipe came together really easily and smelled absolutely divine. Alex kept asking me "are they ready yet?" like a kid on a road trip - "are we there yet?" The final product? Delicious! The Monster Trail Mix distributed nicely throughout the blondies, giving them a colorful speckled look. The brown sugar caramelized during baking, so they had a nice light molasses and sugar flavor...not too sweet. Blondies are incredibly versatile, and you can add any mix-ins that you like. I will definitely keep this recipe handy for a good crowd-pleaser!

Chana Masala

2010-07-20T09:38:00.005-04:00

This is my absolute favorite dish to order when we're at an Indian restaurant. I tried it for the first time in grad school and have been hooked ever since. It's a lovely stewed combination of chick peas, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and spices that are beyond my imagination. This homemade version is good - flavorful, spicy and filling - but it's not exactly up to par with my favorite place. I'm not sure what's missing, though. I'll keep looking around and trying new versions until I hit that right note. After all, look what I have to feed!

I snagged this recipe from Smitten Kitchen (where else?). It had more of a sour tang than I'm used to with chana masala, which I think Deb likes, but I wasn't all that crazy about. It could be my altered taste buds, though!

It's really easy to make, and it simmered away on the stove while I dealt with our favorite trouble-maker. She graduated from obedience school this weekend, but don't let that happy innocent face fool you. She's crafty like ice is cold.

Chana Masala

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh, hot green chili pepper, minced (I omitted)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 tablespoon amchoor powder (omitted. Used lemon juice instead)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 cups tomatoes, chopped small or 1 15-ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juices, chopped small
2/3 cup water
4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon (juiced) (used a whole lemon to swap for the amchoor powder)

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, cumin seeds, amchoor (if using it), paprika and garam masala.

Cook onion mixture with spiced for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Add the water and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice.

Eat up or put a lid on it and reheat it when needed. Curries such as this reheat very well, later or or in the days that follow, should it last that long.

Mangia! Eggplant Parmesan

2010-07-16T10:47:00.004-04:00

The other day, I was hit so hard with a craving for eggplant parm. It was all I could think about. I had no idea where this craving came from, and then I remembered that my friend Stephanie had made eggplant parm a few days ago and asked me for cooking tips. I blame her! Well...okay, not really, since it was delicious and totally hit the spot.

The recipe I used is a no-fry one, which is a lot healthier and easier. One large eggplant was more than enough for me and Alex (and our appetites). We both had two helpings. Hey, I'm eating for two! It's allowed!

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, thinly sliced (peeling is optional)
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4-5 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350.

Lay the eggplant slices on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and allow them to sit for 5 minutes. Repeat on the other side. This draws out some of the moisture from the eggplant, removes some bitterness, and makes it easier to bake.

Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes on each side.

In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Peach Cobbler. Nuf said.

2010-07-15T08:55:00.004-04:00

People have many different interpretations of cobbler. Some people think cobbler has a crumbled topping, when in fact, that's a crisp. Others like to make a cobbler with a few scattered biscuits on top, allowing the hot filling to bubble through (so good!). However, according to Alex, it's not a cobbler unless it's got a solid biscuit top, like a pie. Now that it's summertime, peaches are overflowing in the markets, so it seemed only natural to make my hardworking guy the cobbler of his dreams.

I would like to take a second and emphasize the "hardworking" part. Alex either works 7-4 or 11-8, on his feet most of the day, helping his patients. Then he comes home to an overly excited dog who wants nothing more than to jump all over him, and a sometimes cranky and tearful pregnant wife who is on the couch, too drained from work to move. Once in a while he'll come home to a happy me...the one who is happy that she had enough energy to walk the dog, go to the gym, run errands, make dinner and bake a delicious homemade dessert. That's happened 3 times in 4.5 months. Sigh. I love that man. He deals with all of this, and hasn't complained at all. Did I mention that he rubs my feet, too?

So, how could I not make him a peach cobbler? I used the topping from Dorie's Mixed Berry Cobbler recipe and improvised the peach filling, based on a few online recipes. Cobbler filling, no matter what the fruit, is pretty simple. Fruit, some sugar, maybe a spice or two, maybe some butter. Done. This cobbler was perfect! Not too sweet, with a really thick and buttery biscuit topping. Served warm with vanilla ice cream, it made my guy so happy. And that makes me so happy.

Peach Cobbler

Topping Ingredients:
adapted from Dorie Greenspan

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into little bits
3/4 cup cold heavy cream

Filling Ingredients:

6-8 fresh peaches, peeled (explained below) and sliced

1/2-3/4 cup sugar (I used white and brown)

cinnamon, optional

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 and butter a 9-inch pie dish.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You'll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces in between — and that's just right.

Pour the cream over the dry ingredients and toss and gently turn the ingredients with a fork until you've got a very soft dough. When the dough comes together, you'll probably still have dry ingredients at the bottom of the bowl — just use a spatula or your hands to mix and knead the dough until it's evenly blended.

Don't overdo it; it's better to have a few dry spots than an overworked dough. Even with all the flour mixed in, the dough will be soft and sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap, cover with another sheet of paper or plastic and gently press or roll the dough into a circle that is a scant 9 inches in diameter. Don't worry about getting the size exact or about seeing that the edges are even — this is a very homey dessert, and a rough-around the-edges biscuit adds to its charm. Set the dough aside while you prepare the fruit. (If it's more convenient, you can refrigerate the dough on a baking sheet for up to 6 hours before baking it — just make sure it's well covered.)

FILLING:

In order to peel the fresh peaches, you'll have to blanch them. Sounds complicated, but it's very easy. Set a large pot of water to boil, and set aside a bowl filled with ice water. Lightly score an "X" on the bottom of each peach, and place gently into the boiling water. Allow the peaches to boil for 1 minute or so, and then scoop out and place immediately into the ice water. Once they are cool enough to handle, you can peel off the skin. Start with the "X", and the skin will pop right off. Careful, they'll be slippery!

Toss together the sliced peaches, sugar and any spices you're using and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Carefully pour the mixture into the buttered pie dish and cover with the dough circle. Gently push and pat the dough into place, making sure to seal the edges well.

Carefully score 6 lines into the dough, allowing for steam to escape. I also cut a small circle in the middle, to prevent more bubbling and steam build-up. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 60-75 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly.

Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

TWD: Brrrrr-ownies

2010-07-13T13:11:00.004-04:00

Well, okay Epic Fail Brrrr-ownies is more like it!

This is what happens when you 1) try to be thrifty on ingredients and 2) can't resist cutting into warm brownies. The original recipe called for York Peppermint Patties, all chopped up, but they were $5/bag at our grocer. Seriously? RIP OFF! So I went with a no-name "Thin Mint" candy that looked similar on the package. Mistake!

They were gooey and melty, and destroyed my brownies. The peppermint filling oozed out and stuck to the tinfoil, so no matter how I tried to pry up the brownies, bits of shiny foil came along with them. It was pretty much a disaster. Alex was so disappointed.

The recipe sounds great - all chocolatey and minty - but I just didn't have the kitchen mojo. Check out Karen's blog for the details and try them for yourself! But make sure you use all the proper ingredients. Learn from my fail, people!

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

2010-06-28T09:16:00.004-04:00

Perfect for a hot summer day, these little cuppies are tart, sweet and totally scrumptious. Our good friend Adam is leaving this week to join his wife for 2 years in Japan and we went to a party for him this past weekend. You all know it's not really a party without cupcakes. Adam doesn't like chocolate (WHAT?) so one of my friends suggested this recipe.

This recipe was perfect for me, since I've been craving tart lemonade for about 6 weeks now. I could chug that stuff all day long - and the colder, the better! And it's summer, so sweet and juicy strawberries are all over the place. The cupcakes weren't hard to make, but the cream cheese frosting didn't hold up very well in the heat. I kept my cuppies in the fridge so that they would hold their shape for the 1 hour+ car ride to DC for the party. Annie recommends using a lemonade syrup on the cupcakes, and I didn't take her advice - totally regret it! The lemon flavor isn't as pronounced as I wanted, so I wish I had used the syrup. I even threw in 4 teaspoons of lemon extract, and it still wasn't enough!

I love the blog where I got this recipe, and I highly recommend that you surf around her site. Annie's Eats is a great home for delicious recipes and gorgeous photos...and she does it all with a baby! Seriously?

::sigh::

I'm just gonna have another cupcake.

Ingredients:

adapted from Annie's Eats

For the cake:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. lemon zest
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped

For the lemonade syrup:
1 cup lemonade concentrate, thawed
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the frosting:
1 cup fresh strawberries, roughly chopped
12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
18 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest, rubbing them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and scented. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until it is light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Add in the milk and mix until smooth. Add in the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed until just blended. Fold in the fresh strawberries with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the paper liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, whisk together the lemonade concentrate and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl to make the lemonade syrup. Poke several holes in the top of each cupcake with a skewer or a fork and pour the syrup over the cupcakes, allowing it to soak in. (Place wax paper underneath your cooling rack so you don’t make a mess!)

To make the frosting, puree the strawberries in a food processor or blender. Strain the puree through a mesh sieve to remove the seeds, and set aside. Beat the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Mix in strawberry puree, a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve your desired texture and flavor of frosting (I used all of it!). Frost cupcakes as desired and enjoy!

June Daring Bakers: Chocolate Pavlova with Chocolate "Mascarpone" Mousse

2010-06-27T14:40:00.006-04:00

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard.

A pavlova is a meringue dessert, named after the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavolva. In Europe and America, it's usually a crispy piped or flat meringue, topped with cream and fruit. In Australia and New Zealand, it's a meringue cake, tall and crispy on the outside and marshmallowey on the inside.

This one sounds like a chocolate mouthful, and it was! I decided to make this challenge extra challenging by removing all dairy from the recipe. I wanted to serve it on Father's Day, and we were having chicken for dinner. Also, my father-in-law tries not to eat too much dairy nowadays, so I scoured the internew for vegan mascarpone recipes. I ended up using a combination of the recipes I found and mixed it with the Daring Bakers mousse recipe. The result? AH.MAZ.ING.

The mousse was rich, thick and deeply chocolatey...you couldn't even tell it was non-dairy. The chocolate pavlova was light and crispy, yet still rich and delicious. Topped with strawberries, well, this was a winner. My father-in-law said it was one of the best desserts I've made, and he loves a lot of my baked goods!

Chocolate Pavolva with Chocolate "Mascarpone" Mousse

Recipe 1
Chocolate Meringue (for the chocolate Pavlova):
3 large egg whites
½ cup plus 1 tbsp (110 grams) white granulated sugar
¼ cup (30 grams) confectioner’s (icing) sugar
1/3 cup (30 grams) cocoa powder

Instructions:
1.Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200º F (95º C) degrees. Line two baking sheets with silpat or parchment and set aside.

2.Put the egg whites in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high and gradually add granulated sugar about 1 tbsp at a time until stiff peaks form. (The whites should be firm but moist.)

3.Sift the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder over the egg whites and fold the dry ingredients into the white. (This looks like it will not happen. Fold gently and it will eventually come together.)

4.Fill a pastry bag with the meringue. Pipe the meringue into whatever shapes you desire. Alternatively, you could just free form your shapes and level them a bit with the back of a spoon.

5.Bake for 2-3 hours until the meringues become dry and crisp. Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe 2
Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse (original DB recipe, dairy)
1 ½ cups (355 mls) heavy cream (cream with a milk fat content of between 36 and 40 percent)
grated zest of 1 average sized lemon
9 ounces (255 grams) 72% chocolate, chopped
1 2/3 cups (390 mls) mascarpone
pinch of nutmeg
2 tbsp (30 mls) Grand Marnier (or orange juice)

Instructions:
1.Put ½ cup (120 mls) of the heavy cream and the lemon zest in a saucepan over medium high heat. Once warm, add the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let sit at room temperature until cool.

2.Place the mascarpone, the remaining cup of cream and nutmeg in a bowl. Whip on low for a minute until the mascarpone is loose. Add the Grand Marnier and whip on medium speed until it holds soft peaks. (DO NOT OVERBEAT AS THE MASCARPONE WILL BREAK.)

3.Mix about ¼ of the mascarpone mixture into the chocolate to lighten. Fold in the remaining mascarpone until well incorporated. Fill a pastry bag with the mousse. Again, you could just free form mousse on top of the pavlova.

My Recipe - Vegan Mascarpone
this recipe was very much "to taste." I used the base of the recipe I found online, and tweaked it with the DB recipe, using chocolate, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until I liked the taste.
8 oz Soy Cream Cheese (I used toffuti's vegan cream cheese)
1/4 cup soy sour cream (I used toffuti's vegan sour cream)
1/3-1/2 cup powdered sugar (do this to taste)
9-10 oz. non-dairy (pareve) chocolate chips/chunks
1/2 cup Silk non-dairy creamer

1. Heat the creamer on the stove, and once it's warm, stir in chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Set aside in a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Beat soy cream cheese, sour cream and powdered sugar together.

3. Fold in cooled chocolate. It may seem slightly runny at this point. Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours until it's firm. Stealing spoonfuls to "taste test" is highly encouraged.

Recipe 3
Mascarpone Cream (for drizzling):
1 recipe crème anglaise
½ cup (120 mls) mascarpone
2 tbsp (30 mls) Sambucca (optional)
½ cup (120 mls) heavy cream

Instructions:
1.Prepare the crème anglaise. Slowly whisk in the mascarpone and the Sambucca and let the mixture cool. Put the cream in a bowl and beat with electric mixer until very soft peaks are formed. Fold the cream into the mascarpone mixture.

Recipe 4:
Crème Anglaise (a component of the Mascarpone Cream above):
1 cup (235 mls) whole milk
1 cup (235 mls) heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
6 tbsp (75 grams) sugar

Instructions:
1.In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow.

2.Combine the milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan over medium high heat, bringing the mixture to a boil. Take off the heat.

3.Pour about ½ cup of the hot liquid into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to keep from making scrambled eggs. Pour the yolk mixture into the pan with the remaining cream mixture and put the heat back on medium. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a wooden spoon. DO NOT OVERCOOK.

4.Remove the mixture from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until the mixture is thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours or overnight.

Pavolova Assembly:
Pipe or spoon the mousse onto the pavlovas and drizzle with the mascarpone cream over the top. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and fresh fruit if desired.

"Boy or Girl?" Cookies

2010-06-21T12:54:00.004-04:00

Okay, okay, they are just M&M cookies, but this title sounds a lot more fun, right? I baked these cookies the day Alex and I told our jobs that we're expecting. I thought it would be fun to bring in a treat while sharing our good news. Of course, the day I do this is the day that everyone was on vacation in my office!

I got the recipe from the original M&M's and Mars website, and I picked this one because it didn't call for shortening...unlike the majority of the other recipes out there. It's a very easy cookie recipe and the M&M's add a nice colorful touch. They are really just chocolate chip cookies, with one small change.

Enjoy! Oh, and I got the pink & blue ones from the bulk candy section in our local market. So you don't wear yourself out trying to find "baby" colored M&M's in the store :-)

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 large package M&M’S® Milk Chocolate Candies (regular or mini-sized)
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

*Set aside a small amount of M&M's for later*

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into butter/sugar mixture. Stir in M&M’S® Milk Chocolate Candies and nuts, if desired.

Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. *If you want a prettier cookie, press some candies onto the tops of the cookies. These will show up better after baking*

Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft. Do not overbake. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; cool completely on wire racks.

Store in tightly covered container. Makes about 40-50 cookies.

Who Doesn't Love Cupcakes?

2010-06-21T09:34:00.003-04:00

I put these delicious little beauties together for a party on Friday night, and they were a big hit. The vanilla cupcake recipe is my favorite go-to choice, but the frosting recipe was new. I was looking for something easy, that didn't require me to risk another round of fallen meringues or curdled buttercream. Besides...it was Friday at 6PM and I was le tired.

Enter, Smitten Kitchen's Celebration Cakes list. She used this buttercream frosting on a cake, and noted that it could be whipped up in the food processor. Less than 2 minutes from easy ingredients to rich chocolate frosting? Sold!

Vanilla Cupcakes

adapted from Amy Sedaris, makes about 18 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1½ sticks unsalted butter
1¾ cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
2½ tsp baking powder
2½ cups flour
1¼ cups milk

Instructions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla, salt and baking powder. Add flour in 3 batches, alternating with milk. Beat at low speed for 30 seconds or until mixture is smooth and satiny. Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 45 minutes or until at room temperature.

Instant Fudge Frosting
adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Sky High Cakes
Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients:
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature (I only used 2 sticks and it was PLENTY)
6 tablespoons half-and-half or whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to incorporate, then process until the frosting is smooth.

Cinnamon Amish Friendship Bread (Cake)

2010-06-17T12:56:00.005-04:00

I've heard about Amish Friendship Bread for years, but never had the opportunity to try it until now. Alex's aunt gave me a bag of starter at a family party and I was so excited. It's called Amish Friendship Bread because after you've fed the starter and taken care of it for a week, you divide it up into 4 more bags and pass it along to friends.

Taking care of, and feeding, the starter is quite simple. You mush the bag around for a few days, eventually dumping in some milk, flour and sugar. Then you mush it around for a few more days, and turn it into a lovely batter on day 10.

Now, to be fair, it is more similar to a cake than a bread - with a tender crumb, sweet flavor and cinnamon sugar toping. However, in keeping with tradition, I can call it bread if that makes the Amish happy. But, they probably aren't even reading this anyways...

I've typed out the whole recipe that I was given, but I made a few observances/changes along the way.

Cinnamon Amish Friendship Bread

Things to note:

- Do not use any type of metal utensil - bowl, spoon, or pan (I only had a metal loaf pan, and it didn't affect the cake in any way/shape/form.)

- Do not refrigerate

- If there is air in the bag at anytime, let it out

- It's normal for the batter to rise, bubble and ferment

Starter Instructions:

Day 1: Do nothing! This is the day you're given the starter

Day 2: Mush the bag

Day 3: Mush

Day 4: Mush

Day 5: Mush

Day 6: Add to the bag:

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

Day 7: Mush the bag

Day 8: Mush

Day 9: Mush

Day 10: Pour the entire contents of the bag into a large non-metal bowl. Add to the bowl:

1.5 cup milk

1.5 cup flour

1.5 cup sugar (I cut back on this)

Mix well with a non-metal spoon. Label 4 large ziploc bags with "Day 1" and the date. Pour one cup of the mixture into each bag and give to your friends, along with these directions.

Baking Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350

Add the following and mix well by hand

3 eggs

1 cup oil (or applesauce for lower fat)

1/2 cup milk

1 cup sugar (I cut back on this)

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

1.5 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

1 package of instant vanilla pudding mix

Optional: any nuts, dried fruit, etc. I added in KAF Cinnamon Chips because they are awesome.

Pan Dusting:

1/2 cup sugar (could reduce easily)

1.5 tsp cinnamon

Grease bottom and sides of 1-2 loaf pans. (The original recipe called for 2 loaf pans, but I had just enough batter for one full one, and about 1/4 inch of a second. If you do 2 pans, fill each only halfway.)

Dust pan with cinnamon/sugar mixture, and tap out excess back into the bowl. Pour batter evenly into both pans, or into just one, and dust the top with extra cinn/sugar mixture. Bake for approx. 1 hour, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes and then carefully remove from a pan. Let it come to room temperature on a cooling rack.

TWD: Raisin Swirl Bread

2010-06-15T11:05:00.004-04:00

I wasn't going to bake this. I was going to resist the siren's song of warm, soft, sweet, doughy bread. My tiny little uterine occupant has become VERY carb-demanding and I can feel the scale rising. I was going to forgo this recipe and munch on an apple instead.

Ooops. Well, at least I ate an apple while the bread was in the oven.

Today's Dorie selection was picked by Susan of Food.Baby, and I would like to give her a warm and doughy hug. The Raisin Swirl Bread sounds intimidating, especially if you're like me and have a fear of yeast. However, it honestly couldn't be easier. There's no kneading, just mixing and rolling. The dough is soft and pliable, easy to work with, and deliciously smeared with butter, sugar, cinnamon and raisins.

My finished product was a little cracked on top, but the inside was a lovely swirl of flavor. Alex and I immediately each ate a slice and I had another one for breakfast. The bread reminds me of challah - slightly sweet and buttery with that golden stringy texture. The filling isn't too sweet, and the optional addition of cocoa powder makes for a nice flavor balance.

I'll be surprised if this makes it to Friday. That sneaky carb-loving baby.

TWD (a day late): Tender Shortcakes

2010-06-09T12:24:00.005-04:00

Oh TWD, how I missed you! I knew that I couldn't handle the scheduled baking during the 1st tri, so I put myself on "pause" with both TWD and Daring Bakers...but I'm back, baby!

I made these shortcakes last night (right before the Glee finale) and we enjoyed them while they were still warm. OHMAHGAH these are good. Seriously tender, crumby, ever-so-slightly sweet and deliciously buttery...covered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It made my current uterus occupant very happy.

This perfect summer recipe was chosen by Cathy, of The Tortefeasor. It's an incredibly simple one (I threw it together in about 20 minutes), and very impressive. A great "vehicle" for all those fresh and juicy summer berries. I used strawberries, but any berries would work here!

Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta

2010-06-07T10:56:00.004-04:00

I've mentioned before how much I adore the Smitten Kitchen blog, right? I can't help it! Deb is a great cook and baker, she takes beautiful pictures, her writing is witty and her son is completely nom-able. I bookmarked this recipe of hers right before I found out I was pregnant, but during the past 12 weeks, the thought of cooking made me want to cry. Luckily, this is a super-easy, whip together in about 10 minutes, light, summery dinner that I really should have been able to make (instead of forcing Alex to eat frozen pizza.)

I forgot the lemon zest, but will definitely remember it for next time. The goat cheese (yes, it's pasturized. I can eat it, TYVM!) adds a perfect amount of tang and salt, while the lemon juice brightens up the whole dish. I can only imagine the extra POW from lemon zest! Seriously, everyone, this recipe is so easy and fast. I highly recommend it.

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 pound spiral-shaped pasta
1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon plus more for garnish (didn't have, don't like the flavor anyways!)
1 5- to 5 1/2-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese (the pre-crumbled stuff will not melt as well)
Fresh lemon juice to taste (optional)

Instructions:
Cook your pasta in well-salted water until it is almost tender, or about three minutes shy of what the package suggests. Add asparagus and cook until firm-tender, another two to three minutes. Drain both pasta and asparagus together, reserving one cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, combine olive oil, lemon peel, tarragon and goat cheese in a large bowl, breaking up the goat cheese as you put it in. Add hot pasta and asparagus to bowl, along with a little bit (maybe 1/4 cup) of the pasta water. Toss until smoothly combined, adding more pasta water if needed. Season genersously with salt and pepper, and lemon juice.

Cupcake Bites

2010-06-07T09:10:00.005-04:00

Tiny things are cute. I can't explain it, but they just are. There's something inherently adorable about a minature version of something that's usually big, especially when it's done in detail. Like dollhouse accessories, for example. Itty bitty rolling pin for the kitchen? Teeny weeny pair of glasses? So much cuteness.

In the baking blog world, there is a creative genius known as Bakerella. Her big things are cake pops and cupcake pops, and when she makes them into minature characters and animals...well, the cuteness is just mind-blowing. Don't believe me? Check it out.

I've wanted to make her cupcake bites for a long time, but never had the occasion. Yesterday, however, turned out to be the excuse I was looking for! My sister-in-law, Mariel, is moving to San Francisco in a month, and my in-laws threw her a goodbye party last night. Mariel loves tiny versions of things, so I knew these eensy weensy cupcakes would be a hit.

They are an impressive addition to a party, but be forwarned - they take a LOT of work. It's not hard, it's just tedious. This isn't something you can whip up in an hour, in fact, I did these over the course of two days. Delicious, rich, adorable...yes. However, unless I have a special request for them and loads of free time, I don't know if I'll ever have the energy to make them again. I'm exhausted!

Recipe Found Here

Just so you can get a sense of their adorable size!

My Latest Recipe

2010-06-04T17:28:00.002-04:00

Well...now there is another "someone" in the kitchen with me! This adorable little jellybean was the reason for my blog absence. I was so fatigued and nauseous during the first trimester, that I could barely manage to make a bowl of cereal for myself! I felt terrible for neglecting my cookbooks, baking groups and my blog, but I'm back!

Baby Optimus Prime is due December 14th, and we're just so thrilled!

Now that I'm back in the kitchen, expect plenty of baking from me!

Notice anything different? (and a GIVE-AWAY!)

2010-06-03T15:52:00.005-04:00

That's right, the blog makeover is complete!!! Ain't it lovely? I adore the bold colors and the snazzy silhouettes of cooking items in the header.

So, who do I have to thank for this super-duper-amazing-awesome blog makeover? None other than my good friend, Val, of Custom Printables! Val is astoundingly talented when it comes to her custom designs, and she's starting to make a fantastic name for herself with wedding invites, monograms, custom water bottle labels and the like.

Val is generous enough to offer a give-away for all you readers -
5 CATALOGUE MONOGRAMS in your choice of colors!

People, this is super cool. You can have your own monograms, and use them for anything - wedding, stamp for stationary, address labels, cookie gift labels...the possibilities are endless. As is Val's creativity. Check out all the options she offers (and let me know if you spot the monogram with my name!). These are just a few examples of her work:

So, how do you win? All you have to do is become a fan of Custom Printables on Facebook, and leave a comment here to let me know you've done it. Then, Val and I will randomly pick a winner.

DEADLINE: Friday June 11th, 3PM EST.

In the meantime, I'm going to stare adoringly at my new blog :-)

Oven "Fried" Sesame Chicken

2010-06-02T10:50:00.003-04:00

I received this cookbook as an engagement present from my mother-in-law, and I've marked dozens of recipes that I want to make. The only problem was that I put it in the back of my shelf when we moved and forgot about it until last week. I saw the happily striped cover peeking out from behind a Rachael Ray cookbook and I promptly grabbed it. It's a great collection of Kosher recipes, all neatly labeled as meat, dairy or pareve, and it has some wonderful holiday menu suggestions that I'm going to use as a reference for our next holiday meal!

The first recipe I tried was good. Not outstanding, but good. It was incredibly easy and fast to throw together, which I liked. I enjoyed the flavor of the soy sauce with the sesame and pepper, but Alex wanted more kick. I think that I'd try a double-dip next time, along with some more spices, and see how that goes.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (recipe called for bone-in w/skin removed, but I used boneless)

6 TBS sesame seeds (might toast them next time for more flavor?)

4 TBS flour

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup melted margarine or olive oil (if you're not kosher, you could use butter, I'm sure)

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 400.

Mix sesame seeds, flour and black pepper in a shallow dish, and pour soy sauce into another shallow dish. Dip both sides of the chicken in soy sauce, and then dredge in the sesame seed mixture. Lay in a baking dish and drizzle with oil/butter/margarine. Bake 40-45 minutes (if bone-in) or about 30 minutes (if boneless).

Chipotle Potato Salad

2010-05-31T14:09:00.003-04:00

This stuff is addictive...delicious, smokey, hot yet cool, and crisp. It's perfect for any summer BBQ, so I insist that you make this for the 4th of July. Alex's sister is the expert in this recipe, but I begged for it and she generously shared. She did ask that I not tell anyone how easy it is, so I'll give this caveat - it's time consuming! But sooooo worth it.

Ingredients:
Chipotle mayo
3/4 cup mayo
2 TBS minced canned chipotles in adobo sauce (or to taste)
2 TBS lemon or lime juice

Chipotle potato salad
6 cups diced red bliss potatoes
1 tsp salt
2 celery stalks
2 scallions
1 bell pepper (red or yellow for color)
chipotle mayo
cilantro, optional

Instructions:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are almost tender. It's good to leave them a little "al dente" because they will continue to cook afterwards.
While they are boiling, combine all mayo ingredients and blend with immersion blender.
Finely chop celery and scallions, chop pepper into small pieces Drain potatoes in a colander under cold water when they're done; combine ingredients in a bowl, add salt to taste.

Alex's Black Beans and Rice

2010-05-31T13:12:00.004-04:00

Alex is a great cook. Poor guy, though, he works such long hours sometimes that he doesn't have the time or the energy to get into the kitchen. This weekend, though, he was able to make one of his favorites - beans and rice.

The recipe that follows is a rough estimate of what he put in, but the main ingredients are here. He said that they key is to mash some beans separately, and then add them back in, in order to thicken the whole mixture. It's a smokey, tangy, and spicy delight. If you're not into spice, you can leave out the chipotle pepper...but I encourage you to try it!

Ingredients:

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, scraped and diced (scraping means to remove the inner seeds which are the really spicy part. Do not use your hands! Hold the pepper with a fork and scrape with a knife. If you want to add smokey flavor without a lot of heat, you can throw in 1-2 tsp of the adobo sauce instead)

1 whole tomato, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 TBS oil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin (to taste)

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed. Remove 1 cup of beans and mash them with a fork in separate bowl.

Instructions:

Heat up the oil and saute the pepper, onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic at end, so it doesn't burn. Stir in the mashed beans, along with the tomato. Add in rest of beans and spices. Bring it to boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, covered. Uncover and simmer for another 5-10 minutes to thicken. Serve over rice.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

2010-05-26T09:34:00.003-04:00

To my favorite sister ever :-) She's an amazing teacher, a wonderful and caring mother, and a very VERY special person. I love you, Ada!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

I'M BACK! And I brought muffins...

2010-05-24T09:11:00.003-04:00

...Cake Donut Muffins, to be exact...

::shakes off dust::

Well, hello blog! Long time, no see, right? Did you miss me? I'm sure I lost a few loyal followers during my absence, and I'm truly sorry for that. I'm back, though, and here to stay. Let's just pretend like this didn't happen, mmkay?

This weekend Alex was out of town, so it was just me and the newest addition to Brina's Kitchen:

This is Tizona, or Tizzie for short, and she came to live with us about 4 weeks ago. She's a rescue from South Carolina, but much to my dismay, she doesn't bark with a Southern accent. We're not 100% sure what her doggie lineage is, but we think it's part Beagle (based on her howl-bark) and part Rat Terrier (based on her coloring and shape). She's a brat at times, but we're totally smitten. She loves Alex and has no shame in rolling over so you can rub her belly.

So Tizzie and I kept each other company all weekend, and she hung out under my feet while I puttered around the kitchen. I was seriously craving something sweet and I wanted to use my King Arthur Flour cinnamon chips again, so I looked around for possible recipes. I hit upon this Cinnamon Sugar Muffin recipe on Epicurious and tweaked it a little bit. The resulting muffins are moist, light, flavorful and just sweet enough. A little like cake donuts, so I changed the name!

Cake Donut Muffins
adapted from Epicurious
Makes 6 muffins, easily doubled. No need to double topping!

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
My additions:
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cinnamon chips

for topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:
In a small bowl stir together sugar and cinnamon. Preheat oven to 375°F. and butter six 1/3-cup muffin cups.

Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until combined well. Beat in flour mixture and add milk, beating until mixture is just combined. Divide batter evenly among cups and sprinkle with topping. Bake muffins in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Remove muffins from cups and cool on a rack. Muffins keep in an airtight container 2 days.

I haven't abandoned you...I promise

2010-05-14T13:39:00.002-04:00

Just working through some technical difficulties, folks. Blog is being re-worked and hopefully I'll get back to regular posting in the next 3-4 weeks.

For you cake junkies, I baked a lovely version of Dorie's Perfect Party Cake last night for a bridal shower at Alex's job. Pictures to follow. I had forgotten how delicious lemon swiss meringue buttercream can be. Mmmmm....

I'll be back soon. I promise.

TWD: Swedish Visiting Cake

2010-04-13T09:46:00.005-04:00

C'mon. I can not be the *only* TWD baker that made lots of Swedish chef noises while baking this cake. I know someone else did.

And yes, I've been a blog-slacker. I'm sorry. Passover just kicked my butt and I didn't really want to bake or cook anything for a while. Now, I'm slowly getting back into it. Nancy, of The Dog Eats the Crumbs, picked this cake and it's winner! So simple to make, yet elegant enough to use at anytime. I loved the lemon and almond flavor, and the crisp edges from the melted butter. Alex took the cake to work, otherwise it was too tempting to keep around the house.

I wonder if they actually make this in Sweden? I hope they do. It's delicious!

Curried Egg Salad

2010-04-06T14:58:00.005-04:00

While this technically is a recipe for Passover, it's good enough to be made year round. We had quite a few leftover eggs from my baking adventures, so I decided to try an old-fashioned egg salad. However, whilst perusing recipes, I stumbled upon a Curried Egg Salad that made my mouth water. How could I not try it? I'm so glad I did, because it's delicious. Tangy, spicy, sweet, creamy, and crunchy all at once.

It was a great break from heavy brisket and kugel - perfect for a light refreshing lunch outside in the sunshine!

Curried Egg Salad
adapted from Gourmet Magazine, 1991

Ingredients:
1/4 cup bottled mayonnaise (could probably use even less and it would be just as good)
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp celery salt
3 to 4 drops of Tabasco, or to taste
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
1 TBS fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1.5 TBS bottled mango chutney, chopped
6 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
3 scallions, chopped

Instructions:
In a bowl stir together the mayonnaise, the curry powder, the celery salt, the Tabasco, the cumin, the mustard, the lemon juice, and the chutney. Stir in the eggs, the celery, and the scallions and season the salad with salt and pepper.

Passover Recipes: Raspberry Squares, Honey Nut Cake, & Matzah Crack

2010-04-06T14:25:00.008-04:00

Passover is great for someone with a sweet tooth (<---THIS GIRL!) and bad for someone who wants to stay in shape (<---also, THIS GIRL). Thanks to the glorious interwebz, I had no trouble finding good passover dessert recipes for this year. And when I say good, I really mean it! These raspberry squares are good enough to make year round, if you wanted. The topping gets crisp and crunchy, while the bottom slowly absorbs the jam and softens ever-so-slightly. I've been nibbling on the leftovers all week long.

Raspberry Squares
adapted from Cara's Cravings

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup matzoh meal
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 jar raspberry jam (or any other flavor you like!)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375. Line an 8"x8" baking dish with parchment paper.
Stir together sugar, matzoh meal, oil and eggs until thoroughly combined. Fold in the shredded coconut and chopped walnuts.
Spread half of the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spoon the raspberry jam over it, and spread evenly. Crumble the rest of the mixture over the raspberry jam, patting it down evenly.
Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool before cutting into squares.

Honey Nut Cake with Soaking Syrup
adapted from epicurious.com

This dessert was a real treat! Many of the other bakers compared it to baklava, and I could definitely taste that. It's best made 1-2 days in advance, so the cake has plenty of time to absorb all the glorious sticky syrup. I made it on Saturday, and by the time I served it on Monday night, it was dense, moist, and perfect. The only thing I would change next time is to leave out the lemon juice. There's just something about lemon & honey together that makes me think of cough drops. I can't take it! But this cake...takes the cake.

Ingredients:
Cake
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon finely minced orange zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon ( or 1/2 teaspoon for a more pronounced cinnamon flavor)
1/2 cup matzoh cake meal
1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds
1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Soaking Syrup
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 7-inch round layer cake pan (if you do not have one, you can use a round foil pan of the same or similar size available in the supermarket baking aisle).

Cake:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, using a wire whisk, beat the granulated and brown sugars with the oil and eggs until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Stir in the remaining batter ingredients. Turn the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is light brown and set. Cool for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the Soaking Syrup.

Soaking Syrup:
In a medium saucepan, combine the ingredients. Heat to dissolve the sugar and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes syrupy. Cool well.
Pour the cooled syrup over the cooled cake, poking holes in the cake with a fork, to permit the syrup to penetrate. Allow it to stand for 2 to 4 hours to absorb the syrup. I prefer to refrigerate this cake so that while it is absorbing the liquid, it is also firming up. Also, chilling the cake offsets its sweetness and makes it easier to cut. Serve it on splayed muffin liners.

Matzah Toffee "Crack"

I posted this last year, but it's so good that it's worth repeating. It's not even necessary to say it, but...ohmahgah.

Ingredients:
4-5 pieces of regular matzah
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 sticks butter
1 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
Optional toppings (I used sea salt and almonds)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 and cover a baking sheet with foil (makes clean-up much easier!).
Place the matzah in a single layer on the baking sheet, breaking up the pieces to fit if necessary. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and the sugar together over medium heat, stirring constantly. Do NOT leave this alone or it will burn! Once the mixture reaches a boil, continue to cook for an additional 3 minutes, until it's thickened and just starting to pull away from the edges of the pan.
Remove from the heat and pour over the matzah. Spread it out evenly with a spatula so that all the pieces are covered.
Put the pan in the oven and bake it for about 10-13 minutes, watching to make sure it doesn't burn. After 13 minutes or so, the toffee with bubble and turn a darker brown. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with the chocolate. Allow it to sit for about 5 minutes until all the chocolate is softened, and then spread it around with a spatula or knife. Sprinkle on your toppings while it's still warm (I loved it with salt!) and place the pan in the fridge. This helps the chocolate set.
To serve, break the matzah into small pieces and allow it to sit at room temperature. Enjoy!

Passover Recipes: Matzah Apple Kugel and Garlic Brisket

2010-04-02T10:27:00.005-04:00

More! Food! It just keeps coming!

It's the Jewish way, folks.
They tried to kill us.
They didn't succeed.
Let's eat!

Matzah Apple Kugel
adapted from allrecipes.com

Passover kugels aren't necessarily the best thing. No flour, no noodles...only matzah, maztah meal or matzah cake meal. However, this apple kugel was a surprise! It was flavorful and moist, and I cut back on the sugar so it wasn't too sweet. Everyone at the seder enjoyed it. The only change I would make for next time is to use a 9x13 baking dish instead. I like a crispy kugel and this didn't really have a chance for that in the 2-quart casserole dish.

Ingredients:
4 matzo crackers, crushed
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup white sugar (I used slightly less)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
3 Granny Smith apples - cored, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

1/4 cup white sugar (I used about 3 TBS)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the crumbled matzos in a medium bowl, and add enough water to cover. Let stand for 2 minutes, then drain off excess water. Do not squeeze.

To the bowl of matzo, add eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, lemon juice and applesauce. Stir to combine. Mix in the apples and dried cranberries. Spread the mixture evenly into a 2 quart casserole dish. Mix together the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden, and the apples are soft.

Braised Brisket with Thirty-Six Cloves of Garlic
adapted from epicurious.com

Oh, man, this is soo good. The garlic cloves mellow out during the cooking process and become sweet, instead of pungent. The gravy is then finished with chopped rosemary, more garlic and a sprinkling of lemon zest for an extra oomph.

The only complaint I have is that using a kosher brisket makes for a very salty gravy. I added broth, more rosemary and even MORE broth...but it was still pretty salty. Overall, it didn't ruin things, but I think that next time, I'll make my gravy with help from one of those gravy packets...minus the salt.

The low and slow cooking time braises the brisket perfectly, so that it becomes fork-tender and just melt in your mouth good. If you're looking for a good brisket recipe, you can't really go wrong with this one.

Ingredients:
36 fat unpeeled garlic cloves (1 2/3 to 2 cups) or an equivalent amount of smaller cloves, plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic (I used pre-peeled cloves)
3 tablespoons olive oil
A first-or second-cut beef brisket (about 5 pounds), trimmed of excess fat, wiped with a damp paper towel, and patted dry
2 TBS red wine vinegar
3 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade or good-quality low-sodium purchased
3 or 4 fresh thyme sprigs, or 2 teaspoons dried leaves
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, plus 1 teaspoon chopped leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp grated lemon zest

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed roasting pan or casserole large enough to accommodate the meat in one layer. Use two burners, if necessary. Add the brisket and brown well on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a platter and set aside. (Or brown the meat under the broiler: place the brisket, fat side up, on a foil-lined broiler pan under a preheated broiler. Broil for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until browned. Don’t allow it to develop a hard, dark crust, which might make the meat tough or bitter. Move the meat around as necessary, so it sears evenly.)

Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat remaining in the pan and add the garlic cloves. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic edges are tinged with gold. Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the stock, thyme, and rosemary sprigs, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Salt and pepper the brisket to taste on all sides, and add it to the pan, fat side up. Spoon the garlic cloves over the meat.

Place the brisket in the oven, cover (if you have no lid, use heavy-duty foil), and cook, basting every half-hour, until the meat is fork tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours or longer. (As the meat cooks, periodically check that the liquid is bubbling gently. If it is boiling rapidly, turn the oven down to 300°F.)

The brisket tastes best if it is allowed to rest, reabsorbing the juices lost during braising, and it's easiest to defat the gravy if you prepare the meat ahead and refrigerate it until the fat solidifies. That is the method I use, given here, but the gravy can be prepared by skimming the fat in the traditional way, if you prefer. If you go that route though, do let the meat rest in the pan sauce for at least an hour.

Cool the brisket in the pan sauce, cover well with foil, and refrigerate until the fat congeals. Scrape off all solid fat. Remove the brisket from the pan and slice thinly across the grain.

Prepare the gravy: Bring the braising mixture to room temperature, then strain it, reserving the garlic and discarding the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Skim and discard as much fat as possible from the liquid. Puree about one half of the cooked garlic with 1 cup of the defatted braising liquid in a food processor or a blender. (If you want a smooth gravy, puree all of the cooked garlic cloves.) Transfer the pureed mixture, the remaining braising liquid, and the rest of the cooked garlic to a skillet. Add the chopped rosemary, minced garlic, and lemon zest. Boil down the gravy over high heat, uncovered, to the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Rewarm the brisket in the gravy until heated through.

Arrange the sliced brisket on a serving platter. Spoon some of the hot gravy all over the meat and pass the rest in a separate sauce boat. Watch your guests drool.

Passover Recipes: Salmon & Tilapia Cakes and Cauliflower Popcorn

2010-04-01T09:54:00.004-04:00

Continuing with our Passover recipe listing, we have a great gefilte fish alternative. My mother-in-law picked this recipe and I'm so glad she did! The Salmon and Tilapia Cakes were supposed to be Salmon and Whitefish Cakes, but we just used what we had. I don't think there would have been that much of a flavor difference if we had used pike (whitefish) anyways! Be generous with the seasoning on this one, as the cakes themselves can be a little bland without salt or the sauce. However, they are fresh-tasting and light, a great compliment to a seder and delicious as a cold lunch the next day!

Salmon & Tilapia Cakes with Horseradish Cucumber Sauce
adapted from Epicurious.com

Ingredients:
Sauce:
1 cup finely chopped unpeeled cucumber
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons prepared white horseradish
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Fish cakes:
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for frying fish cakes
3 medium carrots, peeled, finely chopped
1 2/3 cups finely chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted matzo meal
1 3/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
18 ounces skinless whitefish fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 9-ounce skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes
Lemon wedges
Fresh parsley sprigs

Instructions:
For sauce:
Stir cucumber, mayonnaise, horseradish, parsley, and chives in medium bowl to blend. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

For fish cakes:
Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and leeks. Saut&#;233 until soft but not brown, about 15 minutes. Cool in skillet.

Beat eggs, matzo meal, coarse salt, and white pepper in large bowl to blend. Stir in carrot mixture. Place whitefish and salmon cubes in processor. Using on/off turns, chop fish to coarse paste (small pieces of fish will remain). Stir fish into matzo meal mixture.

Using wet hands and about 1/3 cup for each, shape fish mixture into sixteen 1/2-inch-thick cakes. Arrange on prepared baking sheet. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic and chill.

Add enough oil to 2 heavy large skillets to coat bottom. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add 8 fish cakes to each skillet. Sauté until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Transfer to another baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm uncovered in 350°F oven 10 minutes.

Arrange 2 fish cakes on each plate. Spoon sauce over or alongside. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.

Cauliflower Popcorn
adapted from Kosher by Design Entertains

This is a great vegetable side dish! It's called "popcorn" because of the color and the fact that you just want to keep sneaking little pieces into your mouth all night long. Very easy to make, this is a Shabbat dinner favorite amongst the "Kosher by Design" cookbook fiends. You know who you are!

Ingredients:
2 heads cauliflower, cut head into medium sized florets and discard stems
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 - 1/2 tsp tumeric
6 - 8 TBS olive oil

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450 and line a jelly roll pan or baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a very large bowl, combine the salt, sugar, spices and oil. Add cauliflower florets and toss to evenly coat.
Place in a single layer on the prepared sheet and roast, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes until the largest piece can be pierced with a fork. If the tops are starting to get too brown, toss the cauliflower during the baking process.

Passover Recipe Series

2010-03-31T09:18:00.004-04:00

ETA: in case you haven't noticed the VAST improvement in picture quality...I GOT MY CAMERA FIXED!

I'm going to post the recipes that I use for Pesach (Passover) over the next few days. I hope you're able to try them out and enjoy them with family and friends!

Eggplant Camponata

This is my mom's recipe. She used to make it when there was company over, and I would sneak into the living room to grab crackerfuls of it. It's flavorful, healthy and a great appetizer for any party. It really tastes best, in my opinion, on a buttery Ritz cracker, but matzah will have to do for the week.

Ingredients:
3 cup peeled and cubed eggplant (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/3 cup of oil (canola or olive oil)
1 small (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1/4 cup water2 tablespoons wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1.5 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Instructions:
Put first 6 ingredients in a skillet and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring. Add remaining ingredients; mix well.
Simmer, covered, until eggplant is tender, about 30-60 minutes. Refrigerate when cool.
Serve with pocket bread cut into quarters or crackers. This definitely tastes better a few days after making, since it gives the flavors a chance to meld.

Rosemary Spiced Nuts
adapted from Dragon's Kitchen

I had a whole container of fresh rosemary and a huge bag of mixed nuts. What's a girl to do? Scour the internet for spiced nut recipes, of course! I planned to have plenty of snacks on the seder table because it can be at least an hour from when you sit down to when you eat. I always enjoyed having something to nibble while reading the Haggadah.

These nuts were a great combination of flavors - spicy, sweet, tangy and salty, with the rosemary adding just another layer of yum. I found the recipe on a new food blog, which I know will become another addition to my blogroll. These are super easy to make, and guaranteed to be a hit!

Ingredients:
2 cups mixed whole almonds, raw cashews, pecans and/or raw peanuts
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp salt

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 300°F. (this was too low for mine, so I upped it to 370)
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the rosemary, chilli powder and cayenne pepper. Stir for about 20 seconds.
Reduce the heat to low and add the nuts, stir to combine. Add sugars and salt. Stir to blend.
Transfer the nuts to a baking pan. Bake until the nuts are toasted, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. (Mine took about 40 minutes to get golden brown.)
Serve warm or at room temperature. Store them in an air tight container for up to 5 days...if they last that long!

Let all who are hungry, come and eat...

2010-03-30T12:26:00.008-04:00

Last night was a whole lotta deliciousness. Alex and I hosted the annual Steiner Family Traveling Seder (last year, Brooklyn! Next year...San Fran?) and it was a lovely time. There were masks and props...and of course, brisket. Good time was had by all! And I'm exhausted.

Bibi, Gabby and Mariel fight over the spiced nuts

Alex and his dad wash the dishes. Bless them!

Contemplating why this night is different from all other nights...

Passover "slave" to the oven timer?

Alex shows Pete that he's still the big brother

Pete

Seder Menu

Eggplant Camponata

Rosemary Spiced Nuts

Salmon and Tilapia Cakes w/Cucumber Chive Sauce

Cauliflower Popcorn

Confetti Vegetable Kugel

Matzah Apple Kugel

Brisket with 36 Cloves of Garlic

Raspberry Squares

Honey Nut Cake with Soaking Syrup

recipes to follow...