Crumbs

The Cake Slice: Zebra Cake

2011-07-20T19:12:00.002-04:00

I have been quite busy lately, Working, planning a trip home to Buffalo, and hunting for an apartment big enough to house our soon to be family of three has kept me out of the kitchen. The fact that I decided to bake on a 95 degree day is a testament to how much I dislike packing. On a day that I would like nothing more than to lie down in my air-conditioned bedroom, I took a break from sweating over boxes to crank my oven and make a "zebra cake" for this much-neglected blog. I don't know if the cake was tasty enough to justify a hot oven during a heatwave, but it was a much appreciated break anyway.

This zebra cake is made by alternating layers of vanilla and chocolate batter to create a striped pattern. What I disliked about this cake was that it really emphasized form over function. The finished product is pretty, but the cake was bland. I would much rather eat a delicious, yet ugly, cake. As I am typing this I am feeling like quite the complainer because I have been underwhelmed by almost all of the cakes that I have baked as a Cake Slice member. This makes me sad because I really do love cake.

Despite my complaints, there is nothing offensive about the flavor of this cake. If you are looking for something visually interesting, go ahead and bake this up. You could divide the vanilla batter further and use different food colors to make a sort of tie-dyed cake. Fun!

Now I need to get back to packing, and you should definitely check out the Cake Slice blogroll to see some enthusiastic reviews of this pretty striped cake.

Oh, and on the moving front: We have found an apartment with not only a second bedroom for the baby I am currently baking, but a kitchen with a full size oven and a pantry! No more galley kitchen with a tiny apartment oven! I am very much looking forward to settling into our new apartment and breaking in our new, big kitchen.

Zebra Cake
Lauren Chattman's Cake Keeper Cakes

If I were to make this again, I would use more chocolate batter in each layer to make the stripes more even.

Ingredients
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup whole or 2% milk
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder

Method
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9 inch pan, line with a circle of parchment paper, grease the parchment and dust with flour. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Combine the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, stir in the milk, butter, oil and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. Stir in the flour mixture, ½ cup at a time.

Transfer a third of the batter into another bowl and whisk in the cocoa powder.

Place a quarter cup of the vanilla batter into the centre of the pan and let it stand for a few seconds so it spreads out slightly. Place 2 tablespoons of the chocolate batter right on top of the vanilla and wait another few seconds until it spreads. Continue alternating vanilla and chocolate until you have used up all the batter and it has spread to the edges of the pan.

Bake until the cake is set and a toothpick comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cake onto a cutting board. Peel away the parchment paper. Re-invert onto a wire rack and cool completely. Slice and serve.

Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for 3 days.

French Fridays with Dorie: Bacon and Eggs and Asparagus Salad

2011-05-21T18:29:00.000-04:00

No posts since February, and now two in one day? Sure, both are a day late, but do we really need to talk about that? I made this week's selection for French Fridays with Dorie, an asparagus salad with bacon and eggs, on Thursday and hoped to have the post up yesterday, but it didn't quite happen. On the positive side, this recipe is not just idling on my camera somewhere, like so many previous FFwD recipes that I never quite managed to post (hello beef daube, chocolate mousse cake, orange almond tart, and Basque tortilla).

As I said in my last post, I had some very exciting news that was sapping much of my energy and occupying my mind, but I have been looking forward to getting back to Around My French Table. I was looking forward to this recipe because I love bacon, eggs, and asparagus. Alas, it seems that my asparagus adoration has been put on hold, because I was not exactly feeling those green stalks. It seems that I have developed a (temporary, I hope) pickiness about certain foods.

Even though I was not loving the asparagus, I did enjoy the salad with vinaigrette, bacon, walnuts, and egg. Dorie gives us an easy technique for perfectly cooked eggs, and makes the salad very convenient by explaining what we can make ahead. It made a perfect light dinner along some jalapeño cheddar scones that I baked from the freezer. I know that I will be making versions of this salad (sans asparagus, for now) throughout the summer.

For this recipe, and so many more, pick up a copy of Around My French Table. Also, be sure to visit the French Fridays with Dorie site to see how everyone else is enjoying this French cooking journey (or to join in!).

The Cake Slice: Orange-Almond-Caramel Upside-Down Cake

2011-05-21T12:52:00.166-04:00

I have been seriously remiss in my blogging lately. First, I started a new job that seemed to occupy all of my time, then in February and March I found myself increasingly exhausted with very little motivation to cook. Well, I found out that the reason i was so tired is because I am pregnant! I am four months along now and finally getting the energy to do more cooking, though it is still harder to find things that I really want to eat (besides bagels with melted cheese, yum!).

Despite the fact that I haven't posted a Cake Slice cake since January, I actually did bake both the February and March cakes. February's Coffee-Heath Bar Crunch Cake was not bad, but I thought that the coffee flavor was a bit too strong and it was just not a cake to write home (or write a post) about. I didn't have the Dutch process cocoa for March's Chocolate Cream Pound Cake, so I substituted regular cocoa but forgot to adjust the leavening (oops). The cake rose and collapsed, then fell to pieces when I tried to take it out of the pan. In spite of the horrendous appearance, the cake was delicious, like a rich and fudgy brownie.

This month's cake, an Orange-Almond-Caramel Upside-Down Cake was much more attractive, and it was quite tasty, too. I was a bit wary of the flavor combination, but it all went together well. The orange-scented cake was moist and light, and the toasted almonds and caramel added a sweet and crisp cap. If I were to make this cake again I might decrease or omit the honey from the topping, because I did find the flavor unnecessary (and a bit distracting, perhaps). In fact, I might try making this cake without the almond topping, and just add a quick orange glaze. That would push it into the realm of the "everyday cake." A cake like that would be especially welcome when there is an abundance of citrus in the markets.

To see how everyone else fared with this original take on an upside-down cake, be sure to visit the Cake Slice blogroll.

Orange-Almond-Caramel Upside-Down Cake
Recipe from Lauren Chattman's Cake Keeper Cakes

Topping:
1 cup sliced almonds
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest

Prepare the topping:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" round pan, line with parchment paper, then grease and flour the parchment paper.

Toast the almonds on a baking sheet until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Melt the 6 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, then stir in the brown sugar. Reduce to heat to low and cook, whisking, 2 minutes. Scrape into the pan, then drizzle with honey. Spread the almonds over the honey and set aside.

Prepare the cake:

In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir together the sour cream, eggs, orange juice, and vanilla in a glass measuring cup or small bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer) cream together the sugar and 1 stick butter on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the orange zest.

With the mixer turned to medium-low, add the egg mixture in a slow stream, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer to low, then add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down the mixer after each addition. Raise the speed to medium, and beat for 30 seconds.

Pour the batter into the pan, then smooth with an spatula. Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool on a wire rack 5 minutes. Place a plate over the pan, then, holding tightly with oven mitts, quickly flip the cake out onto the plate. If any almonds stick to the pan you can scrape them out and place them on top of the cake. Let cake cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Store cake at room temperature in a cake keeper, or wrapped in plastic, up to 2 days.

Serves 8 - 12

French Fridays with Dorie: Pancetta Green Beans

2011-02-18T23:17:00.000-05:00

This week's recipe for French Fridays with Dorie, Pancetta Green Beans, was so quick and easy that I really had no choice but to make it. Some green beans, a slip of butter, and a small amount of pancetta are all you need for a delicious side dish.

Because this recipe is so straightforward, there is really not much to say about the dish. The green beans, which I had let go a bit too long in the fridge, were rejuvenated by a quick boil and a saute in a touch of rendered pork fat. The pancetta provided a bit of poshness along with the perfect salty accent. If my sub-par winter beans were this tasty, I can't wait to try this recipe with fresh beans from the market this summer. I would definitely multiply the recipe so that I could serve the leftovers, as per Dorie's sidebar suggestion, cold with a splash of vinegar.

Since I actually had the day off today (and because I haven't been posting on many of these French Fridays), I decided to make another recipe that I missed, January's Chicken B'stilla. I had planned on making this on schedule, but I forgot to buy filo dough and I ended up stashing my chicken thighs in the freezer. I am so glad that I decided to make this because it was very different, and very delicious.

The Chicken B'stilla, which is a kind of Moroccan potpie, starts with chicken thighs poached in broth with ginger, saffron, coriander, and cinnamon. The chicken was tender, fragrant, and perfectly spiced, and I would be happy to serve it on its own, or with the honey infused sauce that is combined with the shredded chicken to fill the pie. Toasted almonds provided richness and crunch, and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar over the filo crust was a sweet surprise that played perfectly against the chicken. This was the first time that I have worked with filo, and while my torn sheets were not too pretty, I am inspired to use it again soon.

For these delicious recipes, and so many more, grab a copy of Around My French Table. Also, head over to the FFwD site to see how everyone liked these simple and elegant green beans.

The Cake Slice: Graham Cracker-Chocolate Chip Snacking Cake

2011-01-24T11:23:00.000-05:00

It seems like just yesterday that I was posting about last month's Cake Slice cake. Oh yes, that is because I was almost a month late in posting. Oops. Because of the belatedness of last month's cake, I made sure to bake this earlier in the week, but here I am, late again. I am experiencing a bit of deja vu, because much like November's selection, this cake just did not motivate me to write about it. We did eat it, but I probably won't make it again (at least not without some major adjustments).

I must admit that I am partly to blame for the problems with this cake. Even though I could see that there was a very thin layer of batter in the pan, I followed the directions and baked it for 35 minutes. I should have checked it at least ten minutes earlier, because it was very dry and overcooked when the timer went off. A shorter stint in the oven would have improved the cake, but I also think that the proportion of liquid to dry ingredients was off. Also, because the cake was less than an inch tall, the quantity could have easily been doubled.

All in all my cake was closer to a (subpar) chocolate chip bar cookie than the moist cake I had envisioned. I did like the marshmallow frosting, but it was a bit too sweet for my taste. Also, it really did not make me think of s'mores, those gooey, melty, crunchy (and delicious) treats. If I want that flavor I won't go through the hassle of making this "not terrible" cake, I will grab a bag of marshmallows and bar of chocolate and make the real thing.

Don't forget to head on over to the Cake Slice blogroll to see how everyone else liked this cake.

Graham Cracker-Chocolate Chip Snacking Cake
Recipe from Lauren Chattman's Cake Keeper Cakes

For the Cake
8 whole graham crackers, finely ground (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used mini chips)

For the Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup Marshmallow Fluff

Method – Cake
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8inch square baking pan and dust it with flour, knocking
out any extra. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder and salt in a medium
mixing bowl.
Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on
medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as
necessary. With the mixer on low speed, add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Scrape down the
sides of the bowl and then beat until smooth.
With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture, then half of the milk, stirring until
combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk, ending with the flour. Stir in the chocolate
chips.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake until a
toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 35 minutes.* Let the cake cool in the pan
for about 10 minutes. Invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up to cool completely.

Method – Frosting
Place the butter in a medium mixing bowl and beat until creamy. With the mixer on low speed,
slowly add the sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Stir in the vanilla and the marshmallow fluff and beat until smooth. Use immediately or cover the bowl with plastic
wrap and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Cut the cake into squares and serve each one with a dollop of frosting on top. (Bring the frosting
back to room temperature first if it has been stored in the fridge). Store any uneaten cake in an
airtight container for up to 3 days.

*Check after 20 minutes.

French Fridays with Dorie: Gnocchi a la Parisienne

2011-01-14T22:40:00.000-05:00

Yes, here I am on a Friday actually posting about a recipe that was scheduled for today. I amaze even myself sometimes. When I saw that this gnocchi a la parisienne was the assigned dish, it seemed too good to postpone. As soon as I saw "gnocchi" in the title of this recipe I got excited because I love those little potato pillows. When I saw that these were made from choux pastry (which is also the base for cream puffs and gougeres), my interest was piqued. Plus, how could dumplings blanketed in cheese and a creamy sauce possibly be bad?

This dish, though a bit time consuming, is actually not difficult to put together. The bechamel and gnocchi can both be made ahead of time then assembled before dinner (Dorie does warn that this is a dish that should be eaten immediately). When it came time to poach the gnocchi, I started by using a teaspoon measure to dish out the dough. Because I am a perfectionist (and, lets be honest, a bit lazy), I decided to pipe the dough instead. I popped it into a zipper bag and cut off the corner, then squeezed out the dough until it was about an inch long before cutting it off with a paring knife. This was much less time consuming, and I was left with more uniform dumplings. Otherwise I followed the recipe, except that I used skim milk because I forgot to buy a quart of whole.

Despite the fat free milk, the dish was still plenty rich. In fact, I would say that the richness was almost too intense. The dumplings are buttery, the sauce is creamy, and the cheese, while providing a nice crust, was also very rich. I served this with some stalks of roasted broccoli, but it still felt very heavy. For me, this needed something to break up the richness; I think spinach would be very good, also roasted peppers or even some darkly sauteed mushrooms . I think that some bacon or maybe some crumbled spicy sausage would also make a nice addition and add some complexity.

Despite these "complaints," Andrew and I still managed to eat an alarming amount of this dish. Of course, when it is 15 degrees outside it is not very difficult to rationalize an (extra)large portion of such a warm and comforting dish.

For this recipe (and many more fantastic French dishes), pick up a copy of Around My French Table. To see how everyone else liked this baked gnocchi dish, head to the French Fridays with Dorie site.

The Cake Slice, Belated December Edition: Cranberry Cake

2011-01-14T13:30:00.000-05:00

Lately it seems that every time I pop on here it is to apologize. I keep missing my assigned posting dates, even though I have been preparing (most of) the recipes. It is a shame that I didn't make time to talk about this Cranberry Cake, though, because it was delicious, seasonal, and a perfect addition to the holiday table. It was lost in a late December frenzy, but I want to belatedly share it with you because it was gorgeous and just so good.

This cranberry cake is the third cake that I have made as a member of the Cake Slice Bakers, and it was, by far, my favorite. I really liked October's pumpkin cake, but I thought that it could use a bit of tweaking. November's cinnamon pudding cake was not terrible (and Andrew really liked it), but it will not be making any repeat appearances in my apartment. This cake, however, was almost perfect. It starts with a butter and egg laden batter, the richness of which is offset by an entire bag of fresh cranberries, and is topped with a crunchy almond streusel that provides some textural contrast. Not only is this cake delicious, it is also an absolute stunner, golden and studded with ruby fruit.

Another positive attribute of this cake is the ease of preparation. The batter and streusel are made with melted butter, so if you, like me, have a tendency to forget to leave your butter at room temperature, you don't have to delay your baking until the butter softens. The batter does take a significant amount of beating (about seven minutes total), but if you have a stand mixer you can stand back and let if do the work for you. The recipe calls for a ten inch springform, but I only have a nine inch and my cake suffered no ill effects. It did take significantly longer than an hour to bake, but I was rewarded with a gorgeously tall cake.

Because the cake is made with fresh cranberries I can imagine it becoming a part of the Thanksgiving buffet or holiday spread, but it could make an out of season appearance with a bag of frozen cranberries. I can also see this cake with blueberries (and a bit less sugar in the batter) and some freshly grated lemon zest. Now I have another reason (besides the two feet of snow that piled up this week) to look forward to summer.

Please visit the Cake Slice Blogroll to see how big a hit this cake was with our group of bakers.

Cranberry Cake
Recipe from Lauren Chattman's Cake Keeper Cakes

For the Streusel:
1 c. sliced almonds
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar, packed

For the Cake:
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 12 oz. bag fresh cranberries, rinsed

Make the Streusel:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 10 inch springform pan. Combine the almonds, butter, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Work the mixture with your fingers to form large crumbs, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the Cake:
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixture, and beat on medium-high until the mixture is lightened and increased in volume, about 5 minutes. With the mixture on low, add the butter in a slow stream. Turn the mixture to medium and continue beating for 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.

Using a rubber spatula, gently but thoroughly fold in the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time. Fold in the cranberries.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter. Bake the cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, an hour to an hour and 10 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then release the sides on the pan and, using a large spatula, slide the cake from the pan bottom to the wire rack. Cool completely, then cut into wedges and serve.

Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper, or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.

French Fridays with Dorie: Paris Mushroom Soup

2011-01-14T00:15:00.000-05:00

As you may have noticed, today is not Friday. Ok, by the time this post goes up it may well be Friday, but by then I will be an entire week late in posting this soup (and, if we are being honest, actually making it). My December went by in a blur of holiday stress and excitement, and I (once again) let my blog go to seed. I only made two out of the three December dishes for French Fridays with Dorie, and I only posted about one of them (I would still like to talk about the beef daube, though, because it was so darn good). Since I want to get back in the cooking (and blogging) routine, I thought that I would take one of my days off to make the recipe that I missed last week, Paris Mushroom Soup.

Now, if you are a member of my family or even a casual reader of my blog, you might think that the base of this soup, a mountain of white button mushrooms, would make me happy to skip it. It is true that I have mentioned on multiple occasions that I am not exactly a lover of fungus, but lately I have been cooking with them more often and finding recipes that I really like. Button mushrooms tend to be my least favorite (except when they are stuffed with copious amounts of cheese and sausage), so I hoped that this recipe might give me another reason to have them around. Well, while I can't say that I will start buying mushrooms in bulk, this soup was not bad. I know that that is not exactly a glowing recommendation, but it is fairly high praise from a person whose phobias include heights and mushroom soup.

On the positive side, this soup was very easy to make and it actually came together quite quickly. Slicing three cartons of mushrooms took a bit of time, but while I don't exactly adore eating them, mushrooms are one of my favorite things to chop. I love how my knife glides so smoothly through each cap, so this never feels like a chore. The actual soup was good, especially with a generous dose of kosher salt, but I did find the rosemary a bit too assertive for my taste. I thinly sliced a few mushroom caps for the mushroom salad, but I would have preferred the soup without them. Raw mushrooms have textural issues for me, and a brief soak in a ladleful of hot soup did not adequately soften them. A dollop of creme fraiche, as always, was a welcome addition, especially because I found the flavor of the soup a bit too simplistic.

While I probably won't be making this soup again, I don't regret trying something new. I am happy to be posting again, and hopefully you will be seeing another post (one that is actually on time!) tomorrow evening. This cold weather is perfect for steaming bowls of soup and (spoiler alert) rich and cozy pasta dishes, so I am especially happy to be back preparing these dishes from Around my French Table.

Please head over to the FFwD site to see how everyone fared with their first French Friday in 2011!

French Fridays with Dorie: Sweet and Spicy Cocktail Nuts

2010-12-11T00:39:00.000-05:00

I have been neglecting my French Fridays lately. Well, that is not exactly true. I have still been preparing the recipes from Around My French Table, I just haven't been writing about them. I started a new job, you see, and my time in the kitchen has been unfortunately limited. I do plan to post a belated review of the semolina cake that I threw together on one of my days off, and next week I will wax rhapsodic about the beef daube that I made today, but tonight I am going to talk about the sweet and spicy cocktail nuts that I made last week.

It wasn't until Friday afternoon that I remembered that I was supposed to make something for FFwD. Since I couldn't stand the thought of hoofing it to the grocery store after work, I decided to make something with ingredients that I had on hand. I had some leftover egg whites and a variety of nuts in the freezer, so I decided to throw these cocktail nuts together. These nuts were quite quick and easy to make - until the part where Dorie tells us to lift one nut at a time out of the coating mix, shake off the excess, and place it on a sheet tray. I did that about 10 times, then I started grabbing handfuls and throwing them on the pan.

Despite my ~~laziness~~ aversion to fussiness, these nuts were very good. Perhaps my coating was a bit thicker and I had to break apart the baked nuts a little more (especially after I forgot to do this before they cooled completely), but the flavor was still solid. I enjoyed the mix of salty and sweet with a touch of spice. When I make these again I will probably add a bit more cayenne, or maybe, as Dorie suggests in her "Bonne Idee" sidebar, swap in curry or Chinese five spice (which I love but rarely use). These make a great cocktail snack or an interesting alternative to dessert, and I look forward to giving them my own spin. Next time I might even take the time to give each nut some personal attention.

Well, I think we all know that isn't going to happen.

For this recipe, and hundreds more, pick up a copy of Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table. Also, to check out the Dorie-inspired culinary adventures of other bloggers (or to cook along with us!) click here.

The Cake Slice: Cinnamon Pudding Cake

2010-11-21T00:13:00.001-05:00

Once again it is time for cake! This month's selection for the Cake Slice Bakers was a cinnamon pudding cake, and while I can not say that I was extremely excited about making it, I did think that the cinnamon flavor would be fitting for fall. There seems to be a slight problem, however, because even though I made this cake days ago, I am here posting at the last minute. This is partly due to starting a new job, but the bigger issue is that I was just not inspired by this cake. I baked it and we have been eating it over the past few days, but I can't really imagine making it again.

A number of people had issues with the cake coming out dry, but I made it as per the recipe, and it came out perfectly with a signature gooey top. I did make sure to check the cake at 30 minutes, but it took a full 40 to bake. After cooling on a rack for 15 minutes, the cake flipped easily out of the pan with only a bit of the caramel-like layer remaining (which I scooped up with a rubber spatula and put back on top of the cake). When everything went according to plan with the baking, I patted myself on the back and looked forward to trying a piece while it was still warm. This, unfortunately, is where things went awry.

The cake, for my taste, was far too sweet. Highly sweetened cake and a brown sugar caramel topping made for a cloying, overwhelmingly sweet dessert. Also, the flavor was too simplistic; it could be summed up as cinnamon and sugar. Because of this I recommend that you use a very high quality cinnamon in this recipe since the flavor is so dominant. I think that this cake could be improved by adding a variety of spices - nutmeg, cloves, maybe even cardamom - to give it a more complex flavor. I believe that some chunked or grated apples would also make for a more delicious product. Even a dollop of creme fraiche or yogurt, something with a bit of acidity, could serve this well.

Even though I didn't love this cake, there is still some good news. After the cake sat in its carrier for a day the flavors really mellowed out and I have enjoyed it much more than when it was freshly baked. So I might not be making this again, but it was definitely not a waste of time or ingredients.

Don't forget to check out the Cake Slice Blogroll to see how my fellow bakers fared with this cinnamon cake.

Cinnamon Pudding Cake
Recipe from Lauren Chattman's Cake Keeper Cakes

For the caramel topping:

1 cup plus 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar

¾ cup water
1 tbsp unsalted butter
½ tsp salt

For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 350F. Spray the bottom and sides of an 8 inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the brown sugar, water, butter and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally, then set aside to cool.

Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Combine the butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, add a third of the flour mixture to the bowl. Add half of the milk and the vanilla. Add another third of the flour, followed by the remaining milk and the rest of the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Scrape the batter onto the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Pour the topping over the batter (the pan will be very full). Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake until set, 30 to 50 minutes.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert it onto a large rimmed serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Let any leftover cake cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days.

French Fridays with Dorie: Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Flans

2010-11-19T19:10:00.000-05:00

Since I first saw the list of October recipes for French Fridays with Dorie, I have been eagerly anticipating the day when I would make these pumpkin and Gorgonzola flans. I love pumpkin (especially in savory dishes) and over the past few months I have developed a blue cheese obsession, so this seemed like an ideal dish. Unfortunately, these flans seem to have suffered from my own overblown expectations because I just did not love them. The Gorgonzola and walnuts were delicious, but the pumpkin custard was overly eggy and, for me, it lacked flavor.

Raising my expectations too high was not the only thing that I did to sabotage this dish. Because the cheese was quite salty I gave the filling a very conservative pinch of salt, which resulted in the bland custard. Also, I used four 8 ounce ramekins instead of six 6 ounce and reduced the cheese slightly, which left a higher ration of custard to topping. I am being negative about these flans, but I have to say that they were not bad, I just wouldn't make them again without some serious tweaking. I do like the combination of pumpkin and blue cheese, but I think I would prefer it in a different format. I am thinking along the lines of pasta tossed with chunks of roasted pumpkin and a blue cheese sauce with some walnuts for crunch, or maybe a pumpkin and Gorgonzola galette.

Oh yes, I am definitely on to something here.

As always, you can check over here to see what everyone made this week and, if you haven't yet, you should pick up Around my French Table (and join in on our cooking fun).

French Fridays with Dorie: Potato Gratin

2010-11-12T20:04:00.000-05:00

When it came time to vote for the November dishes for French Fridays with Dorie, there was one recipe on the list that I absolutely did not want to make: the potato gratin. It was not because I dislike potatoes (I adore them), or because the picture in Around my French Table is not appetizing (in fact, it is positively mouthwatering). No, I wanted to avoid this recipe because it looked too good, and I could not stop imagining myself shoveling spoonfuls of cream-bathed potato slices into my mouth.

As it turned out, this gratin was the top vote-getter for this month, so I headed to the grocery store with a mixture of hunger and trepidation. When I got to the dairy aisle at Whole Foods and reached for the pint of heavy cream, I was overcome with diet guilt and I grabbed the light cream instead. "It's still cream, " I thought, "how much difference could it make?" Later, as we forked up tasty but not at all creamy potatoes, I admitted to myself that it made quite a bit of difference. I strongly suggest that you do not make this same mistake. If you are going to indulge in some potato gratin, you might as well indulge in the dish as Dorie, and the French, intended.

But as I said, even lacking the creaminess and the richness of the heavy cream, this gratin was still quite good. The garlic, which is simmered in the cream, infuses the whole dish and gives it another dimension of flavor. The melted Gruyere (an ingredient that I wouldn't even consider subbing with something low fat) was the highlight for me, as golden, crusted cheese has a tendency to be. Because light cream is not as viscous as heavy cream, the potatoes absorbed it all and melded together, resulting in a dish reminiscent of garlic mashed potatoes. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is really not want you want to end up with after peeling and slicing a pile a potatoes. I am definitely looking forward to trying this recipe as written; I have a feeling that a small piece of a rich and creamy gratin will be more satisfying than a bigger chunk of my "mashed potato" dish.

If you want to try this recipe (and go all out with the heavy cream!), pick up a copy of Around My French Table. Also, don't forget to check out which November recipes the other FFwDers chose to make this week.

French Fridays with Dorie: Roast Chicken for les Paresseux

2010-11-05T11:51:00.000-04:00

This month for French Fridays with Dorie, we are doing something a little different. We voted for our four November recipes (I have almost stopped pouting about the fact that only half my choices made the cut), but we can prepare them in any order that we choose. This week I chose the Roast Chicken for les Paresseux. After last weekend's candy and cupcake filled Halloween festivities, I wanted something a little more earnest, so a roast chicken fit the bill perfectly. I made a slight miscalculation, however, because I was not anticipating the deliciousness of a white wine and chicken dripping-laced pan sauce, or the irresistibility of sopping it up with chunks of crusty bread.

Les paresseux, Dorie tells us, are the lazy people. While I am not the type to shy away from labor intensive recipes (see croissants and the mysterious thing I want to tell you about this week - I know, I am a tease), I think that it is important to have a repertoire of easy recipes, especially ones that are as delicious and impressive as this roast chicken. This dish would be wonderful for a small dinner party because it makes a beautiful presentation with a minimum of stress. Basically, you season your chicken, toss it into a pot with some aromatics and white wine, and pop it in a hot oven. After a while you add some chunked root vegetables, and you will have a fuss-proof side dish to go with your perfectly juicy chicken. Steam some green beans or toss a salad while the chicken is resting, and you have a luscious meal that still feels earnest. Of course, if it feels a bit too earnest, you can always use your free time while the chicken is cooking to make dessert.

For this roast chicken recipe, and many more fantastic French dishes, pick up a copy of Around my French Table. Head over to the FFwD site to see which dish everyone else chose to make this week.

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

2010-10-29T13:14:00.001-04:00

This week's post for French Fridays with Dorie is going to be short and sweet. Short because I am rushing around trying to finish preparations (and a massive amount of cooking) for our Halloween party, and sweet because it is cake! I considered skipping this week's recipe, Marie-Helene's Apple Cake, but the recipe seemed so easy (and, hello, cake), that I decided to give it a go yesterday.

Just as I had hoped, this cake was little work for a very tasty reward. The most "difficult" part of the recipe is peeling and chopping all of the apples. I didn't even need to pull out my electric mixture (for which I was very thankful, considering that I had to wash it three times over for my other cooking projects). The thin batter wrapped around the copious apple chunks, and baked up like a custard with a slightly crisp, caramelized exterior. The apple flavor, from a quartet of different apples, was definitely the star, but it was made even more delicious by the addition of vanilla and dark rum. Eating a slice of this cake was definitely a nice break from a very harried week, and I am glad that I took the time to bake it.

For the recipe, grab a copy of Around my French Table (it is well worth it). As usual, click over here to see more delicious apple cakes from my fellow Dorie-philes.

Update: Steph at A Whisk and a Spoon pointed out that Dorie shared this recipe on Epicurious, so you can find it right here.

French Fridays with Dorie: Hachis Parmentier

2010-10-22T15:02:00.001-04:00

When I first saw the list of October recipes for French Fridays with Dorie, this Hachis Parmentier was the dish I was most excited to make. The photo in Dorie Greenspan's book is just mouthwatering. Hachis Parmentier is basically a French shepherd's pie, and, as I discovered when I made this for dinner, it is wonderfully warm and comforting.

The base for Dorie's version of this dish starts with a quick scratch-made bouillon and chunks of beef, and it is enriched with the addition of sausage. This meaty filling is topped by a layer of creamy, rich mashed potatoes and further gilded by a sprinkling of gruyere and parmesan. Because I am a chronic member of Weight Watchers, I made a few adjustments to reduce the calories of my dish. I reduced the amounts of oil, butter, and cheese, swapped half and half for cream, and used chicken sausage in the filling, but it was still plenty rich for our tastes. Also, my Hachis Parmentier ended up having an unplanned Latin twist. I asked the butcher at Whole Foods for the hot Italian chicken sausage, but when I unwrapped my package I found two bright red links of chorizo. Since I was already halfway through the cooking process, I decided to roll with it and we had a decidedly red, paprika-infused filling. I worried that the chorizo flavor was overpowering, but it didn't stop any of us from having seconds.

I definitely want to make this dish again, though I will buy a more mildly flavored sausage. I did like the chorizo version, but if I were going to use it again I would probably change up some of the spices, perhaps use sweet potatoes in the topping, and give it a sprinkle of shredded manchego. The fact that this dish is so open for experimentation is another aspect of the recipe that I like. The filling could be bulked up with vegetables or flavored with some dry red wine or fresh thyme. However you choose to make it, a scoop of this partnered with a big vinaigrette-dressed green salad (I made mine with whole grain Dijon mustard) makes a delicious and hearty meal. Just don't expect too many leftovers; seconds are too good resist.

For the recipe, pick up a (gorgeous) copy of Around my French Table, and click over here to see how much my fellow FFwDers liked their Hachis Parmentier.

The Cake Slice: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

2010-10-20T10:58:00.002-04:00

I was looking through my blog last night, and I realized that I haven't posted a dessert since last September. Also, my last three dishes have been noodle-centric. I need to switch it up here, people! Well, I am happy to report that I have joined the Cake Slice Bakers, so I will be posting at least one dessert recipe every month. The Cake Slice is a group of bloggers that bake the same cake each month and post about it on the same day. I wanted to join this group because I love baking and talking about recipes, and because it gives me an excuse to make cake (the whole "buying a new cookbook thing" didn't hurt, either). Yum, cake!

This month's cake is the first from Lauren Chattman's Cake Keeper Cakes, and it is the perfectly Halloween-appropriate Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip Pound Cake. I was very excited about this recipe because I adore pumpkin cake and pumpkin bars, but also a bit apprehensive about the combination of pumpkin and chocolate. The pumpkin desserts that I have had in the past have focused on warm fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and have often been crowned with cream cheese icing; chocolate just didn't seem like a natural pairing. Still, I am a big fan of pumpkin, and I love loaf cakes because they are so unfussy and a good one doesn't even need frosting.

This loaf cake, I am happy to report, is definitely a good one. It is so easy to throw together, and most of the ingredients were already in my pantry. The highlight of the baking process was definitely the fantastic smell that was emanated from the oven while this cake was cooking. Once the cake had cooled, I sliced into it and found an exceptionally moist crumb, dense with chocolate and nuts. But that is where I ran into my only issue with this cake; I thought that it was too densely packed with chocolate. It was definitely delicious (and only gets better after sitting in its cake keeper for a day), but I found that the chocolate overpowered the taste of the pumpkin. The next time that I make this cake I will either halve the chocolate or leave it out altogether and ramp up the spices. Or, I might just have to make mini loaf cakes, one plain and one with chocolate chips, because Andrew was more than happy with the chocolate-laden version.

Be sure to check out the Cake Slice blogroll to see lots of mouthwatering pumpkin cakes.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
Recipe from Lauren Chattman's Cake Keeper Cakes

1¾ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cloves
Pinch nutmeg
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Heat the oven to 350F. Coat the inside of a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl.

Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. With the mixer on medium low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the pumpkin puree and vanilla. Stir in the milk. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, ½ cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake the cake until it is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely.

Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic for up to 1 week.

Lauren Chattman says this makes 8 servings, but I would say that it is closer to 16. It is quite rich.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

2010-10-19T00:58:00.001-04:00

Ah, spaghetti and meatballs. Just the name makes me feel all warm and cozy. It is my quintessential comfort food. Hand me a fork and a big bowl of al dente pasta, topped with a garlic and basil flecked pasta sauce, juicy meatballs, and a flurry of freshly grated parmesan, and I will love you forever. I will love you even more if you also pour me a glass of wine, but that part is optional (most days).

Over the years I have tried many different meatballs, starting with my mom's. My mom's meatballs are just regular ground beef (and none of that tasteless ultra-lean stuff) browned in a skillet and simmered in tomato sauce, and they are awesome. I could be perfectly content eating only those meatballs, but I am always on the lookout for new recipes. A couple of years ago I made Tyler's Florence's Ultimate Spaghetti and Meatballs almost exactly as written, and while I really liked it, I found the addition of mozzarella unnecessary, and I wanted to simplify it a bit (also, I find that Tyler can be a bit overzealous with the olive oil). Using that dish as a jumping off point, I developed a recipe that I have turned to again and again.

These meatballs start with a panade, a mix of bread and milk, which keep them moist and tender. Sauteed onions and garlic provide a lot of flavor and additional moisture, and because they are precooked until soft they don't interrupt the texture of the meatball. This time I used all ground beef, but I think that they are especially tasty with a mixture of beef and pork. Once I even substituted hot Italian sausage for some of the beef, and the meatballs were delicious. My major departure from Tyler's recipe is how I cook the meatballs. In the past few years I have taken to baking them. It is easier because I don't have to stand at the stove browning the meatballs in batches, and it also allows me to use less oil. A nice brown crust on a meatball is fantastic, however, so you can go ahead and cook the meatballs in olive oil if you are not as concerned about calories (or as lazy) as I am.

For my tomato sauce I like to start with a mix of olive oil and butter, and I add carrots and celery along with diced onion. I think that this gives the sauce a deeper flavor, and the sweetness of the butter and carrot keep the acidity of the tomatoes in check. As for those tomatoes, I like a mix of crushed and whole tomatoes, which gives the sauce a bit of textural contrast. A pinch of crushed red pepper also gives the sauce a little something extra without adding heat.

As for serving this pasta, I am obsessed with adding sauce into the drained spaghetti and tossing it with copious amounts of grated parmesan (or pecorino romano) and freshly torn basil. Doing it this way allows the flavors of the sauce to penetrate the hot pasta, and the cheese gives it a bit of creaminess. Of course you may simply ladle sauce over plain noodles, but, for me, taking that extra step is what really pushes this dish to the next level of deliciousness. Also, the pasta topped with sauce reheats very well in the microwave, and the meatballs taste even better on subsequent days. In fact, just writing about this now is making me want more. Unfortunately for me, Andrew just ate the rest of the leftovers. Though, on second thought, perhaps I should say fortunately. I can put away a lot of spaghetti and meatballs.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Loosely adapted from Tyler Florence

For the meatballs:

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 slice soft white bread, torn into pieces

3- 4 Tbsp. milk

1 egg

1/2 oz. grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, or a mixture of pork and beef

For the sauce:

1 Tbsp. butter (plus extra, if desired, to mellow the sauce)

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 small carrot, finely diced

1 rib celery, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

crushed red pepper flakes

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes

For serving:
1 lb. spaghetti

1 oz. freshly grated parmesan, plus more for topping

1/4 cup slivered or torn basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Start the meatballs: Place the bread and milk in a medium mixing bowl and set aside. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or sauce pot over medium heat. Add the onion, season with a pinch of salt, and saute until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped parsley and continue cooking another minute or two. Scrape onto a plate and allow to cool.

For the sauce: In the same pot, heat the butter and remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in carrot and celery and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and a pinch or red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes and then add the canned whole tomatoes, either breaking them up with your hands as you add them, or squishing them with the edge of a wooden spoon once they are in the pot. Bring the sauce to a bubble, then turn down the heat and allow the sauce to simmer while you make the meatballs.

To the bowl with the bread and milk, add egg, grated cheese, and cooled onions and garlic. Mix thoroughly with a fork, then add ground beef. Mix gently with your hands until everything is incorporated. Form into meatballs, and place on the prepared sheet pan. I like to use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop so that my meatballs are uniform. Place in a preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until brown. Add the browned meatballs to the sauce, and continue simmering while you prepare the pasta. I like to cook the sauce for at least 30 minutes, to let the flavors meld.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously, then stir in the spaghetti. Boil until al dente, following the package directions. Drain, then return to pot.

Taste your sauce, and season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too acidic for your taste, you can mellow it out by adding a sprinkle of sugar or melting in a tablespoon or two of butter. Ladle about half of the sauce onto the pasta, then add the grated cheese and torn basil and toss with tongs until combined. You can also add a drizzle of good olive oil for some extra richness. Top the spaghetti with meatballs and extra sauce, and additional basil and parmesan.

Serves 6.

Spaghetti Risotto with Porcini and Thyme

2010-10-17T11:12:00.003-04:00

If you were to ask my family what food I don't like, the universal answer would be "mushrooms." It is true, I have been an active member of the anti-mushroom camp for, well, ever. But, because I am a rather strange individual, I see that distaste as a personal challenge and I have set out to try and change my own mind. This mushroom mission is motivated by a (not-so-attractive) haughtiness about my own open-mindedness toward food. I figure that if I am going to talk a big game about my lack of food phobias, I better be able to back it up with some fungus consumption.

As it turns out, I am happy that my pride prodded me in this direction, because I have found some things that I really like. My mushroom muse has been, no surprise here, my favorite food weblog, Smitten Kitchen. I have made pierogies (good, but I really would prefer potato or cabbage), a fantastic blue cheese-laced tart, a creamed-mushroom appetizer that I would be happy to have on any buffet table, and even a (gasp) mushroom soup. I am still not a fan of raw mushrooms or canned cream of mushroom soup (seriously, it is foul), but I won't automatically turn my back on a dish simply because it contains some form of 'shroom.

A year ago, that is exactly what I would have done with this Rachael Ray "risotto" dish. I was watching Food Network one day, and when 30 Minute Meals came on and Rachael mentioned wild mushrooms, my first instinct was to change the channel. But I stuck around, and as I watched her toast pieces of broken spaghetti and then continue cooking it risotto-style with a mushroom-infused broth, I found myself adding dried porcini and spaghetti to my shopping list.

And wow, this dish is delicious. The spaghetti risotto doesn't develop the same creaminess as a traditional risotto, but pasta cooked in this way is quite different from boiled pasta that is tossed with a sauce. Toasting the pasta shards in olive oil lends the spaghetti a nutty flavor, and the dried porcini have a rich earthiness that infuses the pasta as it cooks. I eschewed Rachael's suggested garnish of a lemon-dressed arugula salad and toasted hazelnuts, and instead opted for some fresh thyme, which I think pairs well with mushrooms (and was lingering in my refrigerator), and an extra dusting of parmesan cheese. Eating a bowl made me feel, if only for one night, like a card-carrying member of the mushroom fan club.*

*Just don't try to make me eat those rubbery canned mushrooms. Bleccchhh.

Spaghetti Risotto with Porcini and Thyme
Adapted from Rachael Ray

1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1 quart low sodium chicken broth (use vegetable stock if you would like to keep this vegetarian)
2 cups water
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, grated or minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb. spaghetti, broken into 1 to 2 inch lengths
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 oz. grated parmesan cheese

Combine mushrooms, broth, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low and keep warm.

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and a sprig of thyme and cook another minute. Add spaghetti and toast, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Pour in the wine, and stir until it is absorbed. Begin adding the warm mushroom stock in 1/2 to 1 cup intervals, stirring until the liquid is almost completely gone before ladling in the next addition.

When there is a cup or two of broth left, remove the rehydrated mushrooms, being careful to leave behind any grit. Chop the mushrooms and stir into the pasta. Continue adding liquid and cooking until the spaghetti is al dente, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with additional thyme leaves and parmesan, and serve.

Serves 4.

French Fridays with Dorie: Spicy Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

2010-10-15T23:55:00.000-04:00

This week, I really did have a French Friday with Dorie. I had planned on making this Vietnamese chicken noodle soup yesterday, but there was a certain ill-timed nap before my dance class (which I signed up for in a moment of temporary insanity in which I forgot that I am terrible dancer), and I never got to it. As it turns out, I probably could have thrown this together last night. This soup, which has a surprisingly deep, complex flavor, came together very quickly and easily.

I was very excited about making this soup because I adore pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup with a rich, delicious broth. Perhaps I set my expectations a bit too high, but I didn't love this as much as I thought I would (or as much as Andrew professed to love it while eating his second bowl). The fact that I over-poached my chicken, making it tough, did not help. That being said, I liked this very much. The flavors of garlic, ginger, and star anise made a delicious base for the broth, and the coconut milk gave it a touch of richness. Because I have had a bad experience with (probably low quality) fish sauce in the past, I ended up using less than half of what the recipe called for, and I thought that gave it a nice, subtle touch of salty flavor. We topped our bowls of soup with sriracha (because we are a spicy food loving household), and we both thought the added heat was a perfect finish.

To see how everyone else liked their Vietnamese chicken noodle soup, head over here.

French Fridays with Dorie: Gerard's Mustard Tart

2010-10-08T13:17:00.002-04:00

When I first saw that we would be making a "mustard tart" for this week's installment of French Fridays with Dorie, I wasn't sure what to think. A tart, with a predominant mustard flavor? My brief moment of doubt was put to rest when I scanned the ingredient list. Two kinds of mustard, dijon and whole grain, and copious amounts of creme fraiche are nestled into a tart shell (and oh, how I do love food that uses pie crust as a vehicle) with leeks and carrots. How could that be anything but delicious?

The tart filling was quite easy to prepare, though cutting the carrots and leeks into batons was rather tedious. The matchstick vegetables, arranged like spokes, do make a very attractive presentation, so that bit of work was worth it. The filling is creamy and rich, but the bite of the mustard keeps it tasting light. I liked the sweetness of the carrots, but I used too many leeks, so I found the flavor a bit overpowering. I am very much looking forward to making this with tomatoes, because I think I would like that version even more. Either way, a wedge of this with a big green salad makes a very satisfying lunch, dinner, or even brunch.

There is one, fairly big, part of this tart in which I deviated from Dorie's recipe. As of yesterday morning, I hadn't yet received my copy of Around my French Table,* so I decided that I was going to use an easy tart shell that I have made before and loved. I could have asked someone for Dorie's recipe, but the truth is that I am lazy and I didn't want to have to parbake my shell. There, I said it. But even though I avoided it this time, I know I will be making versions of this tart in the future, and I am looking forward to trying Dorie's dough recipe.

Pick up a copy of Around my French Table for this recipe (and over 300 more!), and follow this link to see how my fellow FFwD-ers fared with their mustard tarts.

*Actually, I received an e-mail from Amazon on Thursday morning saying that my order had been shipped, and at 4:30 it was delivered to my door. High five, Amazon!

French Fridays with Dorie: Gougeres

2010-10-01T16:55:00.002-04:00

So, I disappeared again. I had all these grand plans for more frequent posting, but you know what they say about that whole "best laid plans" thing. At least this time I have a decent excuse: we moved to Boston! That's right, I am a city girl now. I am still cooking (constantly), only now it is in a tiny apartment kitchen on a correspondingly small apartment stove. A miniature stove, however, is a small price to pay for high ceilings and hardwood floors (and I can't forget the Whole Foods within walking distance).

Now that we are (kinda, sorta) settled in our new place, I really am going to be posting more often. To give myself a bit more motivation, I have decided to participate in French Fridays with Dorie. We are going to be cooking along with Dorie Greenspan's new cookbook, Around my French Table. I am really excited about this because I haven't cooked much French food, and I am always looking to expand my culinary horizons. Also, it gives me an excuse to buy a new cookbook; something that makes my boyfriend and our overstuffed bookcases groan and also something I (kinda, sorta) promised myself that I wouldn't do. But come on, this is Dorie, and my copy of Baking: From my Home to Yours was looking rather lonely.

I was happy to find out that the inaugural dish of FFwD was gougeres, cheese puffs made from pate a choux, because I have been wanting to make them for a while now. Now that I have whipped up a batch, I am kicking myself for waiting so long because these are fantastic and so easy to make. These gougeres are light and airy, and the cheese flavor is deliciously strong. I used a high quality Gruyere (my favorite - the stinkier the better), but Dorie says that also makes them with cheddar. I love the straightforward cheese flavor of the Gruyere gougeres, but I think that a cheddar version would make an excellent vehicle for some sort of filling (they are made from the same base as cream puffs, after all). Right now I am imagining a chicken or seafood salad, or perhaps some sort of chutney or jam.

I am looking forward to experimenting with this recipe, but, more immediately, I am looking forward to dinner tonight: hot from the oven gougeres (I baked off six for my test batch and froze the rest for later), some thinly sliced sopressata, a big pile of lightly dressed greens, and a bunch of gorgeous purple grapes. Oh, and wine, of course. It is the natural partner of the gougere, and a perfect way to toast the kickoff of French Fridays.

Head over here to see a parade of gorgeous gougeres from the FFwD crew.

Garlic Shrimp with White Beans and Roasted Tomatoes

2010-05-05T02:01:00.000-04:00

I had planned on taking today to write up a long overdue entry about a delicious sandwich that we ate ~~weeks~~ months ago, but I am too excited about last night's dinner to think about any other dish. So tomorrow I will talk about sandwiches, but today I am going to discuss garlicky shrimp and sweet caramelized tomatoes, all tossed together with creamy cannellini beans and tons of basil (my how I wish we had some leftovers).

I love to plan meals ahead of time, searching through recipes and making long, subdivided shopping lists and weekly menus, but this recipe came together as a bit of an accident. I had picked up some cipollini onions and baby roma tomatoes to make SK's Roasted Tomatoes and Cipollini, but then I lost my desire to make it right away and they ended up being passed over in favor of other recipes. I realized yesterday that I would have to use the ingredients soon or toss them (and I am way too cheap for that), but I still wanted something a little different. Then I remembered the bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer, which I had planned on using for some shrimp pasta one of these days, and it just seemed like a natural pairing.

Spicy shrimp pasta is one of my favorite quick and and easy meals. It is easily adaptable and can be made from ingredients that I always have on hand. The basic outline of the recipe is from Rachael Ray: olive oil, anchovies, tons of garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sometimes I will add some lemon, and maybe some artichokes or grape tomatoes. It was the addition of the tomatoes that made me think that the shrimp would go well with roasted tomatoes and onions. I thought about tossing the shrimp and roasted vegetables with my usual pasta, but then I decided to change it up by going with the white beans. I could tell that that was a good call when Andrew, who loves shrimp, said that the beans were his favorite part of the meal.

While I loved the flavors of this dish, I will change it up a bit next time. I find that the whole roasted onions are just too strong for me, and next time I will roast the tomatoes alone. It will lose a bit of the sweet onion flavor, but the garlic is so strong in this dish that it won't really matter. This is not a subtle flavor, it is a more of a slap-you-across-the-face love note to the stinking rose, so if you don't like garlic: a) what is wrong with you? and b) don't make this dish. But if you do spicy, garlicky shrimp, cannellini beans, and roasted tomatoes, give this a try soon. And invite me over, please.

Garlic Shrimp with White Beans and Roasted Tomatoes
Inspired by and adapted from various Rachael Ray recipes and Smitten Kitchen

This dish would be delicious with a big green salad and crusty bread, or just piled up in a bowl, the way we ate it.

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pint baby roma or cherry tomatoes
2 cups cipollini onions, blanched and peeled (optional)
kosher salt
1 pound shrimp, thawed if frozen, peeled and deveined (I used medium shrimp)
1 tsp. anchovy paste
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup slivered basil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place tomatoes and onions (if using) in a small baking dish or sheet and toss with one tablespoon of oil and a pinch of kosher salt. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour until the vegetables are very tender and golden brown.

When the tomatoes are almost ready, heat a large skillet over low heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil. Squeeze in about a teaspoon of anchovy paste (or you can use a few oil-packed anchovy fillets) and allow it to melt into the oil. Grate or finely mince the garlic and add to the pan along with a the crushed red pepper. Cook this for a minute or two, until the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant, then increase the heat to medium and add the shrimp.

When the shrimp is almost cooked through (which will take a minute or two for small shrimp, possibly three for the larger shrimp), stir in the beans and cook 1 minute more. Turn off the heat, then add the roasted tomatoes and all of their juices. Top with the slivered basil and serve.

This feeds 2 to 3 people as a main dish. It can be stretched further by adding an extra can of beans.

Caprese Panzanella

2010-05-03T19:17:00.001-04:00

I remember the first time that I heard of a panzanella salad. It was in my 30-Minute Meals 2 cookbook, and the recipe called for soaking stale bread in water, then wringing it out. My response can be summed up as "yuck." At that point I was still new to cooking, and even though I was becoming more and more open-minded about food, I couldn't get past the idea of panzanella being synonymous with soggy bread.

Luckily for me, and for Andrew, who is now a lover of bread salad, my misconception was finally cleared up last year. I was reading through some old posts on my very favorite food weblog (of course you know that it was Smitten Kitchen), when I saw a picture that made my mouth start to water. It was Deb's adaptation of Ina Garten's panzanella, and after reading through the recipe I knew that I had to make it, immediately. Unlike Rachael Ray's bread salad recipe, which started with a water bath (and which I still have not had the gumption to try, even though the reviews on the Food Network's website are very good), Ina's started with toasting bread cubes in olive oil, which was enough to convince me to give the recipe a try. Andrew and I both loved it, and I have made panzanella many, many times since.

My panzanella horizons were broadened even further when I found this recipe for Panzanella Caprese on Gourmet.com (I'm still waiting on the "exciting initiatives," by the way). At the end of the recipe for the Parmesan French Toast, there was a "cooks' note" with a link to a recipe for using leftover baguette. When I clicked the link and saw the recipe, of course I added the ingredients to my shopping list. I love tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad, and panzanella is one of my new favorites, so it seemed like a perfect combination (I only wish I would have thought of it before).

This dish takes all of the ingredients in a Caprese salad: fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and a hefty amount of basil, adds freshly toasted croutons, and binds it together with a quick balsamic vinaigrette. Some thinly sliced red onion and capers add visual interest and a nice contrasting flavor. The toasted bread cubes absorb some of the vinaigrette and the fresh tomato juices, and become slightly soft without getting soggy. Looking back, it is funny to think that I was afraid of bread in a salad, seeing that now it is actually my favorite part of the dish. This panzanella makes a perfectly delicious light meal, especially with the unseasonably hot weather that we have been having here recently. The only problem for me is getting it to the table before I eat all of the vinaigrette soaked croutons.

Caprese Panzanella Salad
Adapted from Gourmet.com

The notes for this recipe say that it can be made three hours ahead of time and refrigerated, but I don't like mine to sit for more than a half hour or so. If you want to make it ahead of time, I would suggest combining the tomato, onion, and cheese and refrigerating that separately from the dressing. The toasted bread cubes can be cooled and kept in a resealable bag at room temperature, then tossed with the salad, dressing, and basil 30 minutes before serving.

1 (18 inch) piece of baguette, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup, plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin oil, divided
1 garlic clove
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. capers, chopped
1 1/2 lbs. tomatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 lb. fresh mozzarella, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup slivered basil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Make croutons: Toss bread cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 tsp, each, salt and pepper. Put cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan, and bake, tossing halfway through, 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.

Make dressing: Grate garlic clove into a small bowl. Whisk in balsamic vinegar, capers, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil.

Finish salad: Place tomatoes, mozzarella, and onions in a large bowl. Add bread cubes, basil, and vinaigrette, and toss thoroughly. Allow to sit 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 main dish servings.

Parmesan French Toast with Poached Eggs and Greens

2010-03-31T20:44:00.020-04:00

I have mentioned before that I have a "To Cook" list. What I did not tell you is that, in addition to a flurry of handwritten lists that can be found in every room of my apartment, I have a computer file of recipes organized into many, many categories and subcategories. You would think that this would be enough to keep me busy, but I can not seem to stop myself from adding more and more recipes to this list, and at a rate much faster than I actually churn out dishes.

The other day, while I was on Gourmet.com checking to see if any of the "exciting new initiatives" had been revealed, I came across this recipe for a Savory Parmesan Pain Perdu with Poached Eggs and Greens, and I knew immediately that I had to add this dish to the queue. You see, I am the type of girl that loves breakfast foods for dinner. Pancakes, waffles, omelets, hash browns, French toast... yes please. And poached eggs, well they hold a very special place in my heart. But when I went to add the recipe to my favorites, I realized that I had already bookmarked this last summer. Obviously this was a sign that I needed to make this French toast immediately (and that I needed to actually read through my recipe file every so often).

Now that I have tried this recipe, I am sorry that I waited so long. It requires almost no work, and there are only a few ingredients, most of which I always have in my fridge and pantry. But don't let the simplicity fool you; this dish is fantastic. The French toast is creamy, but the salty bite from the parmesan cheese sets it apart from its cinnamon-laced, sweet custard cousin. The poached egg is what really pushes this dish over the top: the soft yolk makes a rich sauce for the toast, adding an indulgent touch. A large pile of lightly dressed greens keeps this from feeling too heavy, and also makes it seem more like a dinner (though I would still want a salad if I were making this for brunch). Now that I have found this recipe (for the second time), I am going to make sure that it doesn't get lost in my ever-expanding recipe bin.

Parmesan French Toast with Poached Eggs and Greens
Adapted from Gourmet, May 2009

6 slices baguette (1 inch thick), cut on a diagonal*

1 cup whole milk**

3 large eggs (divided)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

3 to 4 cups baby greens

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the middle.

Butter or spray with nonstick spray a small baking dish or 9 inch pie plate. Whisk together milk, one egg, and 1/4 teaspoons each salt and pepper (I did this right in a 2 cup measuring cup). Pour over bread, then evenly distribute the grated parmesan over the bread. Allow this to sit until all of the custard is absorbed, 10 to 30 minutes.

Once absorbed, dot the top with butter and bake, uncovered, until the bread is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to a slight simmer and add a splash of vinegar. Crack one egg into a measuring cup or small bowl and slide into the water. Repeat with the remaining egg and poach until the white is set, 2 to 3 minutes, or longer if you do not like runny yolks. Remove with a slotted spoon.

While eggs are poaching, dress greens with vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide the French toast between two plates, and add a pile of greens. Top each plate with a poached egg and season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Serves 2.

*My slices were small and not very diagonal, so I used 8 slices.

**I never have whole milk, so I put 2 Tbsp. half and half in my measuring cup and poured in enough skim milk to make one cup. In my opinion, this would still be very good even if made with only skim or low fat milk.

Curried Couscous with Broccoli and Feta

2010-03-27T03:16:00.014-04:00

Last fall I had just starting posting on a regular basis when I got distracted by traveling (who wants to buy me one of those newfangled portable computers? Anyone?), the holidays, and whining about wanting a new apartment/career/home state, etc., and my poor blog, still in its infancy really, was lost in the shuffle. Now that spring is here, I have been itching to get back in my blogging saddle and talk about some of the new dishes that I have been inspired to make, including this unexpectedly delicious curried couscous.

In general, I am the type of cook that plans meals ahead of time and makes long, categorized shopping lists (grocery shopping is my therapy; I find walking those aisles to be utterly relaxing). Sometimes, though, a new ingredient will catch my eye or there will be a great sale and I will pick something up and look for inspiration later. This is what happened when I saw some nice broccoli on sale last week. With some vague notions of a broccoli slaw, I brought home two heads and promptly forgot about them in the back of my fridge.

Two nights ago I was digging through the fridge, trying to drum up some inspiration when I discovered the forgotten broccoli. I considered this broccoli slaw, which I have made before and love, but I didn't want to drag out my food processor or worry about making something to go with the slaw; that night I was all about ease. Then I turned to some of my favorite food blogs and websites* for ideas, and I came across this recipe for Curried Couscous with Broccoli and Feta on the Cooking Light site. Even though I like all of the ingredients (raisins, cashews, curry powder, chickpeas), I was a bit apprehensive about the combination. But the simple instructions and overwhelmingly positive reviews convinced me to give it a try, and thank goodness for that.

This recipe is so quick and easy to throw together, and it tastes light and fresh, just what I crave when the weather turns warmer. The curry in this is fantastic; it is not overpowering, and it combines perfectly with the acidity from the vinegar. The chickpeas make this hearty enough for a meal, and the broccoli adds lightness and a filling bulk. What makes this dish sing, for me, is the crunch and richness from the cashews, and the sweetness of the raisins. It tasted great warm and also cold out of the fridge for lunch the next day, and for this reason I would highly recommend this for a potluck.

The best part of this recipe is that it is so adaptable. You could swap in cooked quinoa for the couscous. If you don't jive on vegetarian you can add some cubed or shredded chicken. Almonds would be a good replacement for cashews, and go ahead and throw in some currents or golden raisins if that is what you have on hand. If I had had scallions I would have sliced some up and added them in. With all of these possibilities I know that I will be coming back to this recipe again and again, and not only on nights when I can't seem to muster the motivation necessary to prepare a meal.

Curried Couscous with Broccoli and Feta
Adapted, slightly, from Cooking Light, January 2004

1 3/4 cups water
1 cup whole wheat couscous, uncooked
2 cups small broccoli florets (cut from one small head)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 small carrot, grated (or 1/3 cup pre-shredded carrot)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dry-roasted cashews, chopped
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger (or a pinch of ground ginger)
3/4 tsp. salt
1 15oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3/4. cup feta, crumbled or diced (optional; we ate the leftovers of this dish without cheese and it was just as good)

Bring the 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan, then stir in the couscous. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. At the same time, steam broccoli florets over simmering water, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender.

Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar, curry powder, ginger and salt in a large bowl. Fluff couscous with a fork, and add to dressing. Add broccoli, onion, raisins, cashews, and chickpeas and toss gently. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Serves 4.

*Speaking of food websites, has anyone been over to Gourmet.com recently? Instead of the old blurb about the website being shut down, there is now a message asking us to, "Check back soon for more information about Gourmet and its exciting new initiatives." I am hoping that this means that they will keep the site up and continue to add new content (an idea that fills me with happiness). I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Note: Because I never stopped cooking or taking pictures of my food during my blogging exile, I will probably write up a few of the meals that I made during the fall and winter, and I will also update my flickr page with pictures and links to recipes for other dishes that I prepared.

Lebanese Style Stuffed Eggplant and Za'atar Flatbreads

2009-10-24T17:50:00.005-04:00

On the day that I set out to make this recipe I checked my favorite food blog (Smitten Kitchen, as if I haven't said it enough), and guess what new recipe Deb had posted? That's right, these Lebanese stuffed eggplants. Well, you know what they say about great minds: they love eggplant. At least I think that's what they say, I'm not quite sure. Since Deb has a natural talent for food photography and I, well, sometimes I can get a picture that is not completely blurry, I was a little hesitant about posting this recipe. But how could I resist telling you how I once again chose to cook something from Andrew's least favorite foods list? But don't feel too bad for Andrew; eggplant is on the low end of his food-hate spectrum (he loved the eggplant parm subs), and this dish was so good, I'm pretty sure it would have been a hit even if eggplant topped the list.

If you read my last blog entry, you are likely to get a sense of deja vu when I tell you that I was inspired to make this dish when I spotted the adorable baby eggplants at Whole Foods (I found them again, for a fraction of the price, at our local Asian/Latino market... oh well, bygones). Even though my last eggplant dish was a disappointment, I couldn't pass up the cuteness of these miniature aubergines or the chance to redeem myself in the eggplant cooking department. When I brought them home, I turned to the soon-to-be-extinct Gourmet website (tear) and did a recipe search. This recipe was the second result (after an eggplant tarte tatin, intriguing), and these Lebanese-style eggplants stuffed with allspice-scented jasmine rice, pine nuts, and ground lamb and braised in a tomato sauce sounded absolutely perfect.

I am happy to say that this dish surpassed my expectations (so much so that I want to scrap my previous dinner-making plans and track down more baby eggplants). The eggplant becomes so tender as it cooks and is infused with the flavors of the lamb, onion, allspice, and tomato. It was like a more complex version of the stuffed cabbage that I grew up with and loved. While these were a bit of work to assemble (you have to hollow out each eggplant with a melon baller) once they are stuffed and in the pan there is practically no maintenance, and it has a great presentation.

To go with these eggplants I made some flatbreads topped with Za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend (I bought a pre-mixed blend of sumac, thyme, salt, and sesame seeds, but it is easy to make it yourself). My friend JoAnn mentioned that her family makes biscuits with Za'atar (how awesome does that sound?), but when I was doing a recipe search I found this flatbread recipe on RecipeZaar and I decided to give it a whirl. I liked the recipe, but next time I would roll the dough thinner, and perhaps add a bit more salt. They didn't entirely live up to my expectations, but Andrew loved them and we happily dunked our flatbreads in the tomato sauce. I am definitely looking forward to repeating this Lebanese feast, and I am especially excited for lunch the day after, because the leftovers were even more delicious the next day.

Lebanese Style Stuffed Eggplant
Gourmet (August 2009 web-exclusive recipe)

This recipe was very good as written, but next time I make this I might cut back on the allspice and add a bit of cumin to the filling. Also, be very careful of burning the pine nuts. The recipe says to cook them for three minutes, until golden, but mine turned brown well before that (and were a deep brown by the time I was able to get them out of the oil).

6 (5 to 6 inch long) bambino (also called Baby Bell) eggplants (about 6 oz. each)
1/2 cup long-grain or jasmine rice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp pine nuts
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (14 and 1/2 oz. can) diced tomatoes in juice
3/4 lb ground lamb or beef chuck (not lean)
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Hollow out each eggplant with a melon baller, working from bottom end and leaving about 1/3 inch flesh along interior walls [I found it easier to start by cutting a small piece off the bottom with a knife; my melon baller did not do well cutting through the eggplant skin].

Rinse rice in a sieve under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well.

Heat oil in a 12 inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until oil shimmers. Fry pine nuts, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes [see note above], then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Saute onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer 1/2 cup onion mixture to bowl with pine nuts. Add stock, tomatoes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to skillet and simmer, uncovered, while stuffing eggplant.

Add rice, meat, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to bowl with onion mixture and mix well with your hands.

Stuff eggplant with meat mixture being careful not to pack tightly (rice will expand during cooking). Transfer stuffed eggplants to skillet with tomato sauce and simmer, covered, carefully turning once, until rice is cooked through, 50 minutes to 1 hour (cut one in half to test).

If sauce is watery, transfer eggplant to plate and boil sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes, then adjust seasoning if necessary. Return stuffed eggplants to sauce. Squeeze lemon over dish and sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Za'atar Flatbreads
Adapted from RecipeZaar

500 grams flour (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 Tbsp Za'atar
2-4 Tbsp olive oil

Stir together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the water, stirring until the dough comes together.

Turn dough out to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Lightly grease the bowl and add dough, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise until doubled, about 1 and 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven, with pizza stone if using, to 425 degrees (The original recipe calls for 2 large, oiled baking sheets to be preheated).

When dough has doubled, turn onto counter and punch down. Knead for about two minutes, then divide into 8 portions. Roll each portion into a ball and flatten slightly. Cover with plastic and let rest about 20 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface roll each ball of dough into a circle, 1/4 inch thick. Brush with olive oil. In a small bowl mix Za'atar with enough olive oil to form a paste. Spread Za'atar paste on each dough circle.

Transfer bread to hot baking stone (or oiled sheet pans) and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Scallop and Corn Chowder

2009-10-16T23:48:00.004-04:00

I love fall. How many times do you hear people say that? Cliched or not, it is my favorite season. I love turning off the air-conditioner and opening the windows to let the cooler air in, putting on cozy sweaters to walk outside and see the riot of colors in the changing leaves, and I love making soups and stews and other hearty dishes that make me feel all warm and toasty. But here in Maryland, fall seems to have a personality disorder. When we had our first chilly days I immediately planned and shopped for a variety of warm and comforting meals. We had a delicious chili that I threw together, but the next day, when i had planned a big pot of tomato and sausage risotto, the temperature was already shooting back up. To 80 degrees. In October. I am from Buffalo; I am not made for such tropical temps.

Luckily, one of the dishes that I had planned, this scallop and corn chowder from Real Simple, perfectly bridged the gap between the summer-like weather and my desire for soothing soups. Whole Foods had some still-gorgeous sweet white corn, which kept the soup feeling summery and really elevated the flavor. Because I am cream-phobic when it comes in large amounts, I swapped in some half and half. This kept the chowder light while still providing some richness. I also upped the amounts of broth and half and half because I wanted it more "soupy"and less like the bowl of scallops and corn with a cream sauce that was depicted in the cookbook photo (The picture actually shows a fork resting in the bowl. Call me crazy, but I like to eat chowder with a spoon).

Now, it is time for another confession. I bought frozen bay scallops for this dish. The original recipe calls for one and a half pounds of sea scallops to make four servings. Since I am already in danger of putting us in the poorhouse with my grocery non-budget, I decided not to spend an inordinate amount of money on sea scallops that had probably been frozen before making their grocery store debut, and that really didn't look so hot in the first place. You can, of course, splurge on fresh scallops from a reputable fish monger, but the tiny bay scallops that I used turned out to be fantastic in this dish. The scallops were similar in size to the vegetables, so it was easy to get a scallop, a chunk of potato, a couple of corn kernels, and a bacon lardon in each delectable bite.

And yes, I said bacon. The dish starts by rendering the bacon and then cooking the scallops in some of the bacon fat, which gives the chowder a smoky backdrop. Then the onions are caramelized in the bacon drippings, which have now been infused with the scallop juices. The pan is deglazed with a hefty amount of white wine, then simmered with the half and half and broth. Ooh, I want this again. Right. Now. I do have one caveat about the amount of wine used: it is not subtle. If you do not like a bold wine flavor, then you can use chicken broth, or a combination of wine and broth. But here there were no complaints, only seconds.

Scallop and Corn Chowder
Adapted from Real Simple; Meals Made Easy

5 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 lb bay scallops (defrosted if frozen)
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 lb yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup half and half
1 cup corn kernals, cut from 2 ears (frozen can be substituted)
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Pour off all but a tablespoon or two of the bacon drippings.

Rinse the scallops and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high. Add scallops to the pan and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the wine, then add the potatoes, broth, and half and half. Bring to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the corn and cook for 4 minutes, then add the scallops and cook about 2 minutes, until they are warmed through.

Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with bacon and parsely.

Serves 4.

Provencal Style Baby Artichokes

2009-10-13T00:18:00.011-04:00

I have a confession: I am a shopaholic. My shopping issues do not manifest themselves in the form of designer handbags or shoes. Oh no, when I come home from a shopping spree I have bags stuffed with all manner of comestibles, only the bare minimum of which actually appeared on my rambling shopping lists (I always have more than one). You see, aside from actual cooking, I can think of nothing that is more therapeutic than wandering the aisles of a grocery store. I get so excited by new things, especially produce and cheese that I have never tried before, that somehow they end up in my cart, even though I don't have any recipes in mind, and I have a fridge and cabinets full of food at home. And there's the rub; when it comes time to put my new groceries away, I inevitably find some sad, forgotten produce in the bottom of my crisper and I am overcome with guilt when I have to throw it away. This is the point where my grocery shopping-addicted self promises to stop the insanity; only essentials until the fridge is no longer overflowing!

Of course, it never lasts. I was at the supermarket for a gallon of milk and some bananas when I spotted the baby artichokes. They were just so cute (there is something irresistible about mini-vegetables, stayed tuned for my baby eggplant adventure), I had to have them. So I came home with baby artichokes and no idea what to do with them. I had prepared a fresh artichoke once, years ago. I cooked it in the microwave and I made some terrible aioli that immediately went in the trash. Certainly not the best way to be introduced to fresh artichokes, and from that point on my artichokes came from a can; fresh artichokes were too daunting.

Well, my baby artichokes almost went the way of so much previously dumpster-ed produce. After I brought them home I got caught up in making some other dishes and I forgot about my little 'chokes. When I saw them in my veg drawer while digging for carrots to make stewed lentils, they were already slightly past their prime, and I knew that I had to [wo]man up and conquer my artichoke fears. Had I known just how easy and delicious these provencal style artichokes were, they never would have lasted more than a few hours in my fridge.

This recipe is from Mark Bittman, and I actually found a link to it in the comments of a Smitten Kitchen post. I watched the video of him making the dish and I thought, "I can do that." I am happy to report that I only had to sacrifice one baby artichoke to the disposal gods, the rest were beautiful once I pulled off the not-so fresh outer leaves and chopped their little heads off. As I prepped my 'chokes I repeatedly asked myself why I had been so intimidated by this vegetable. Baby artichokes are less work because you don't have to take off as many of the outer leaves and there is no choke to remove, but really, is taking out a choke so hard? I will definitely be trying the big guys soon, too.

But about this dish, wow. It was so simple, only a handful ingredients, but everything worked together perfectly. The fresh artichokes were a revelation; miles apart from their canned counterparts. The garlic (I threw in extra because I am a garlic-aholic in addition to a grocery shopaholic) became soft and sweet, and the kalamatas provided the perfect salty bite. Because I am not as much of a minimalist as Mark Bittman, I added some white wine to the mix and finished off the sauce with a touch of butter. Oh, and that sauce; the white wine combined with the garlic-scented olive oil and the juice from the collapsed, caramelized tomatoes and cooked down to wrap lovingly around the tender baby artichokes. I want more right now.

I would have been perfectly content to eat a plateful of these artichokes and chunk of bread (preferably homemade, though the sauce elevated even our lackluster supermarket baguette), but I also made a pork tenderloin. I used Ina Garten's herb-marinated tenderloin recipe and swapped lemon thyme for the rosemary. I also forgot to add olive oil to the marinade, but it didn't seem to affect the finished product (Food Network chefs seem, to me, to be a little too liberal with the olive oil anyway). Andrew loved the tenderloin, but for me it faded into the background. Luckily Andrew only wanted seconds of the pork, because I would have fought him for the last few artichokes.

Provencal Style Baby Artichokes
Adapted from The New York Times, June 4, 2008

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4-5 garlic cloves, crushed then peeled
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
1 sprig lemon thyme (you can also use rosemary or regular thyme, or omit it altogether)
Salt
12 baby artichokes
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 Tbsp butter
Parsley, chopped, for garnish

Combine oil and garlic in a large skillet over low heat. When garlic sizzles, add thyme, olives, and a pinch of salt.

Meanwhile, one at a time, prepare artichokes: remove hard outer leaves, then cut off spiky ends, about an inch down from the top; peel stems and trim. Cut artichokes in half and add to the pan as they are ready, cut side down. When about half are in the pan, raise heat so that they brown a bit; move them around as you add the remaining artichokes so that they brown evenly.

When artichokes are golden, add wine and tomatoes, and continue cooking until artichokes are tender, about 20 minutes, adding water as needed if the pan becomes too dry. Stir butter into sauce, adjust seasoning, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Zucchini and Bell Pepper Enchiladas with Two Salsas

2009-10-10T01:56:00.005-04:00

In the "Letters" section of the October issue of Gourmet, a Joe Christofaro wrote:

If I live to be 101 years old, I would be perfectly happy if I could only eat meals from the wealth of terrific recipes in the August 2009 issue.

While I don't completely agree (throw in the September issue and you've got a deal), I did find the August issue to be particularly rife with appealing recipes. I have already made a few dishes (the Tomato and Corn Pie was especially good), but it is only a dent in my list of bookmarked recipes.

The recipe for these zucchini and pepper enchiladas was part of that August issue, and it is a very good, though slightly flawed recipe. I immediately wanted to make these because they looked so bright and fresh, and they were not drowning in cheese or completely enrobed in a sauce. I would be lying if I said I did not love those cheese-covered enchiladas, but I imagined that this recipe would be a nice, light take on the original. Maybe I was being willfully blind when I scanned this recipe and jotted down a shopping list, because I somehow managed to miss the CUP of oil called for in this recipe. Half of it went into a pepita salsa, but the other half cup was used to pan-fry the enchiladas. So while they certainly could be worse, nutrition-wise, these enchiladas were not exactly the light dish that I had been imagining.

Because of the pan-frying these enchiladas were a bit heavy. The problem was that the grilled vegetables inside the rolled tortillas absorbed too much of the oil. Next time I make these I will try using less oil, or I might forgo the frying altogether and just bake them, perhaps after giving them a brush of olive oil. Hmmm, maybe I would even give them the same treatment as the vegetables and grill the assembled enchiladas. But, yes, there definitely will be a next time because this recipe has a lot of potential. I loved the grilled vegetables, which were nicely caramelized and sweet. Both of the salsas were very good (though I have some minor criticisms, which I will get to a second) and combined nicely with the crisped enchiladas, and a bit of salty cheese and the crunch of toasted pepitas were the perfect finishing touches.

Now, about those salsas; the fresh tomato salsa was good, but it was very basic and you could swap it out with your favorite pico de gallo or salsa fresca. In the future I would add some chopped cilantro (I can never get enough cilantro; I love it so much I want to marry it.) and more serrano chile, as we are a spice-loving household. The pepita salsa is where the recipe goes a bit awry. First of all, it made a huge amount. In the future I would probably halve or two-thirds it. Also, the recipe calls for the pepitas to be cooked in oil over medium high heat with two minced garlic cloves for 4 to 5 minutes, and my garlic started to burn well before my pepitas had begun to pop. Next time I will add the minced garlic in at the end. I will also most likely add more chile to this, as well as more cilantro when I blend it (see above).

As I am writing this up I am getting more and more excited about taking this recipe and giving it a bit of an overhaul; turning it into the "herbaceous and fresh" enchilada that the recipe promised. In light of Gourmet's recently announced closure I am tempted to glorify their recipes, but that would be unfair to the magazine and to you, my readers (perhaps I am flattering myself with the plural). Gourmet's recipes may not always be perfect, but they are a constant inspiration to me.

Zucchini and Bell Pepper Enchiladas with Two Salsas
Gourmet, August 2009 (via epicurious.com)

For enchiladas:
1 large white onion, cut crosswise into 1/2 thick rounds
2 red bell peppers, quartered [I used 1 red pepper and 1 yellow pepper]
3/4 lb medium zucchini, cut lengthwise in 1/4" slices
12 (6 to 7 inch) soft corn tortillas
1/2 cup vegetable oil [canola is my go-to]
6 oz. crumbled queso fresco or ricotta salata [if you can't find either of these cheese then you can use feta]

For Pumpkin-Seed Salsa:
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh serrano chile, including seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/3 cups raw green (hulled) pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cups water

For Tomato Salsa:
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
2 tsp finely chopped serrano chile, including seeds
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Preheat a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat.* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Secure each onion round with a wooden pick for grilling (this is not necessary if you a using a tabletop grill, but I did it anyway). Oil grill rack then grill vegetables, covered, turning occasionally until tender (6 to 8 minutes for bell peppers and zucchini; 10 to 12 minutes for onion), transferring to a bowl.

Wrap tortillas in stacks of 6 in foil and heat in oven, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make pepita salsa. Cook chile, garlic, cumin, and pumpkin seeds in oil in a 10" heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until seeds pop, 4 to 5 minutes.** Transfer 3 Tbsp seeds with slotted spoon to a bowl and reserve. Puree remaining seeds and oil with cilantro, water, and 1/2 tsp salt in a blender until smooth.

Make tomato salsa: Stir together tomatoes, onion, chile, lime juice and 1/4 tsp salt.

Assemble and fry enchiladas: Cut vegetables into strips. Spread 2 tsp pumpkin-seed salsa on each warm tortilla and top with some of the grilled vegetables, then roll up. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a 12" heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry enchiladas, seam side down first, in 2 batches, turning once, until lightly browned and heated through, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer enchiladas to plates, then drizzle with remaining pumpkin-seed salsa and sprinkle with reserved seeds and cheese. Serve with tomato salsa.

*You can also grill the vegetables in an oiled grill pan or in a tabletop grill, as I did.

**Because of the problems I had with burned garlic, I would recommend adding the minced cloves after about 3 minutes of cooking.

Caramelized Onion and Kielbasa Pizza

2009-10-08T04:40:00.007-04:00

I love cooking for my boyfriend Andrew. Not only is he always appreciative and free with his praise, but he is also incredibly open-minded about trying new things. The other day I was reading a blog post about soup, and one of the commenters had written that she couldn't make the dish because her boyfriend "doesn't like soup." There are approximately one billion types of soup, how could one just write them all off? I could understand it if a person said that she didn't like a certain type of soup (such as cream of mushroom, which happens to be the worst thing ever), but making a unilateral decision about all soup- I just don't get it. This reminded me once again how thankful I am to have a life partner that shares my sense of adventure when it comes to food (and I guess he is alright in other ways, too).

Open-mindedness aside, there are a few ingredients that Andrew just does not love. These include sun-dried tomatoes, olives, eggplant, and capers (especially capers); all things which I happen to love. Because I am a selfish individual I insist on using these ingredients time and time again. After I subjected him to a very Kelly-centric grilled eggplant and olive pizza (I loved the flavors, but thought that the eggplant was too greasy), I figured that it was probably time to do him a solid and make a pizza without any of his least favorite ingredients.

So once again I turned to the much-maligned (though much loved by me) Rachael Ray for inspiration. I spotted this sausage and onion pizza in the September issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray and I thought that it would be perfect for, uh, Andrew. Um, yes, that's right, I was definitely not thinking about how much I love kielbasa and gruyere and caramelized onions. Ok, fine, I wanted it; but I was sure that Andrew would love it too, and I was not wrong. As soon as he tasted this pizza, with its awesome combination of sweet onions, salty turkey sausage, and rich and nutty gruyere, he said, "Now this is my kind of pizza." Ah, success. A delicious dinner, and I just bought myself a few eggplant and caper-including meals.

Caramelized Onion and Kielbasa Pizza
Adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray, September 2009

1 pizza dough, recipe follows
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp. brown sugar
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or a pinch of dried thyme)
6 oz. gruyere cheese, shredded
cornmeal (optional)

Preheat oven, and a pizza stone, if available, to 500 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add kielbasa and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Add an additional tablespoon of oil to the skillet and raise heat to medium high. Add the onions, sugar, and a pinch of salt to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the onions are starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Lower heat to low and continue cooking until the onions are deeply golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with pepper and a pinch of dried thyme, if using.

Roll and stretch dough into a 14" circle, and place on a sheet of parchment, sprinkled with cornmeal if desired, on a pizza peel or the bottom of a sheet pat. Spread caramelized onions over dough, then top with kielbasa, fresh thyme, and shredded gruyere. Slide pizza onto preheated stone and bake until the crust is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. If you do not have a pizza stone, press the dough into an 11" by 18" baking sheet and continue as directed.

Basic Pizza Dough
This is Smitten Kitchen's recipe, doubled, with some whole wheat flour swapped for the white. Head over to her site for more detailed instructions (and plan on staying there for a while, Deb's site is amazing).

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Stir together flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Add water and olive oil and stir until the dough starts to come together. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead for a minute or two until smooth. Form the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

Dump the dough onto a floured counter and gently press out the air. Form into a ball and let rest, under plastic, for 20 minutes before rolling.

Goodbye Gourmet

2009-10-06T15:12:00.002-04:00

"Please tell me that you are joking."

That is what I said to Andrew yesterday when he asked me, while perusing the New York Times online, if I knew that Gourmet was closing. Unfortunately he was not joking, and my heart broke just a bit. Even though Gourmet has been around for close to 70 years, our love affair was brief and intense. It has been my muse for the past few months, and I was looking forward to building my library of food-spattered, bent-paged back issues. This closing has also put an end to my secret goal of one day working at Gourmet. What does make me feel better, even though there will be no new issues, is that there is still a huge catalog of past Gourmet recipes that I am looking forward to exploring.

Thank you, Gourmet, for being such an inspiration to me. You will be missed.

Barley Risotto with Eggplant and Tomatoes

2009-10-02T14:46:00.015-04:00

My boyfriend Andrew and I love leftovers. We will happily eat the same dish for dinner two nights in a row, and leftovers don't tend to last more than a day or two in our house. The fact that the remains of this meal have been sitting untouched in our fridge for a week says a lot about how we felt about it. It's not that this barley risotto was bad, we both liked it, it just left me a bit cold (which is actually rather ironic, because I see risotto as something warm and comforting).

Lately, now that the weather here in Maryland is easing towards fall, I have been on a real risotto kick. In the past couple of weeks I have made Deb's tomato and sausage risotto (um, twice - like I said, I don't mind repeats) and lemon risotto, both of which were completely delicious. So when I saw this barley risotto in the September issue of Cooking Light, I thought it would be right up my alley and a nice variation on the classic arborio rice (plus I have had a bag of pearl barley in my cupboard for approximately 3 billion years). On paper, this dish seemed tailored to my tastes: I love roasted eggplant and tomatoes, basil, pine nuts, and, of course, goat cheese. What I didn't count on, and what I found out when I was tasting my risotto for seasoning, was that I don't really love barley. It is not offensive to me (unlike cream of mushroom soup or canned black olives), but I am certainly not going to join the barley fan club.

Because I did love the combination of ingredients (except for that pesky main ingredient), I would try a different incarnation of this dish. I am thinking penne pasta tossed with the roasted vegetables (I would kick up the amount of olive oil used for roasting) and some of the pasta cooking water, then topped with the toasted pine nuts and goat cheese and an obscene amount of fresh basil. Or maybe I would roast the eggplant whole and puree it for a dip or the base of a pasta sauce. I also think that it would make a great pizza. Yes, there is definitely a good chance that pizza with caramelized onions, roasted eggplant, sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and goat cheese will make an appearance here on Crumbs.

Even though I was not gaga over this dish, I still think that it is a good recipe. There are not many reviews yet, but they are all overwhelmingly positive. So if you like barley, give this recipe a try. As for me, I think it is time to accept that the leftovers are not going to be consumed, and that they are taking up valuable real estate in my fridge (food guilt alert - I hate throwing things out). If you have a recipe that you think could make me a barley convert, leave me a note in the comments.

Barley Risotto with Eggplant and Tomatoes
Adapted slightly from Cooking Light, September 2009

6 cups (1/2") diced eggplant (about 1 large)
1 pint grape tomatoes
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided (or more)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups low sodium chicken broth (you can use vegetable stock if you would like to make this vegetarian)
2 cups water
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled soft goat cheese (or more, to taste)
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pine nuts on a sheet pan and toast, 5 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden (You can also do this in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently, until toasted. This should only take a couple of minutes).

Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees. Combine eggplant, tomatoes, 2 tablespoons oil*, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and a sprinkle of salt in a bowl; toss to coat. Arrange mixture in a single layer on a sheet pan (you can use the same one that you used to toast the nuts). Roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to collapse and the eggplant is tender.

Meanwhile, combine broth and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and saute 4 minutes or until it begins to brown. Stir in barley and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup broth mixture to pan, stirring frequently. Cook 5 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently. Continue adding broth, one cup at a time, stirring frequently and making sure broth is absorbed before each addition (about 40 minutes total).

Gently stir in eggplant mixture, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon risotto into bowls and top with cheese, basil, and pine nuts.

Serves 4.

*If you are not worried about keeping this ultra light you may want to use an additional tablespoon or two of olive oil to roast the vegetables, they were a bit dry.

Linguine with Herb Butter, Goat Cheese, and Heirloom Tomatoes

2009-09-30T15:43:00.014-04:00

I adore Rachael Ray, and not even in the guilty pleasure way that I love "Party in the USA." Yes, she is completely overexposed (Rachael Ray bedding, anyone?), but "30 Minute Meals" is still one of my favorite cooking shows. Many of the quirks that put people off; her use of nicknames, her over the top facial expressions, the somewhat maniacal giggle are, to me, quite endearing. Plus, more importantly, I have tried many of her recipes and I have yet to find a dud (I can't say the same thing to you, Tyler Florence!).

While I am certainly not alone in my Rachael Ray appreciation (there is a reason that the woman is practically an empire), in much of the food blogosphere she is treated as an object of scorn. The amount of hatred that is aimed at her is absolutely staggering. To be honest with you, I can understand some of the criticisms. There is the aforementioned overexposure, and the fact that most of her "30 Minute Meals" are more like 45 or 60 minute meals, but people act like she is the culinary antichrist (I think that that title has been taken), and I just don't get it.

For the most part I ignore all of the internet ire (much like I ignore the Rachael Ray talk show - hey, I said I like her, not that she could do no wrong), but I saw something recently that irked me. A blogger was writing about quick meals, and she said something along the lines of, "Unlike Rachael Ray I can make meals in 30 minutes without using all processed foods." I thought that was quite ironic, seeing that the whole point of "30 Minute Meals" is to prepare quick meals with fresh ingredients instead of resorting to frozen dinners or boxes of Hamburger Helper. I couldn't help but think that not only had this blogger completely missed the point, she probably hadn't actually looked at too many of Rachael's recipes.

The reason why I found that comment so irritating, and why I will probably always be Team Rachael, is that "30 Minute Meals" inspired me to change the way that I cook. Before I started watching her show macaroni and cheese always came from a box, spaghetti sauce came from a jar, and fish always came from the frozen foods section (in suspicious breaded stick shapes). This is going to sound absolutely crazy to people that were foodies from birth, but before I started watching the Food Network, and more specifically Rachael Ray, I had never used fresh herbs, never tasted fennel or arugula or escarole, never even purchased a bulb of garlic. So while it would be an exaggeration to credit my entire cooking renaissance to "30 Minute Meals," it definitely played a role in giving me the confidence to really get in the kitchen and try new things.

Even now that Rachael is no longer my first resource when looking for a recipe, I still prepare dishes from the show and her magazine, "Everyday with Rachael Ray." This magazine has a great variety of recipes and some nice, bright food photography. I was immediately drawn to this linguine with goat cheese and fresh tomatoes when I saw it in the June/July issue. The pasta looked beautiful in the picture, colorful and perfectly summery with its profusion of herbs and multicolored heirloom tomatoes, and, if you read my blog, you are already aware of my deep love of goat cheese. This recipe has taken me a long time to write up, but it was delicious, easy, and representative of what I love about Rachael Ray's recipes. This is a dish that takes something very accessible, pasta with tomatoes, and adds some things that an average home cook (right here!) may not have tried. Now I know that goat cheese is delicious with pasta and that fresh tarragon really does have a licorice flavor, and I would like to find dishes that can showcase that. So while this dish may not be the pinnacle of gourmet cuisine, it tastes great, and it captures the flavors of summer, just in case you are not quite ready to let go.

Linguine with Herb Butter, Goat Cheese, and Heirloom Tomatoes
Everyday with Rachael Ray, June/July 2009

A note about this recipe: While this tastes great as written, I think that 6 tablespoons of butter is more than necessary. Next time I make this I am going to use 2 or 3 tablespoons; I think that the pasta will still be rich and creamy, and the herb flavor will really sing.

Salt and pepper
1 lb linguine pasta
8 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
6 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
2 cups chopped multicolored heirloom tomatoes (I used one large red heirloom tomato because that is what looked good at Whole Foods that day. A pint of multicolored heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, would look quite lovely in this dish.)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta, in a serving bowl, add the crumbled goat cheese. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the white wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the parsley, dill, tarragon, and thyme. Stir in the reserved pasta cooking water.

Add the pasta to the goat cheese. Pour the herb sauce on top, season with pepper, and toss 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and toss gently for another minute; season with salt and pepper.

Pear Butterscotch Pie

2009-09-22T13:36:00.001-04:00

Though I just recently began posting, I actually decided to start this blog in April. Since then I have been incredibly inspired in the kitchen. My interest in cooking had been growing steadily over the last few years, but there were still some dishes that I had trepidations about tackling. Since I made up my mind to start writing about my kitchen exploits, however, I have been imbued with a new culinary confidence, ready to take on my kitchen phobias.

My most consistent cooking fear revolved around dough (I mentioned this in my opening post). I was comfortable when it came to most cakes and quick breads, but any recipe that included yeast or required kneading or rolling-out (shudder) filled me with anxiety. Since I have had this blog related burst of inspiration, though, I have made croissants, multiple pizzas, fresh pasta, and enough bread to raise our air conditioning bill because of the constant heat from the oven. Still, there is one dough-based dish that still strikes fear into my heart: pie. Oh yes, the thought of making pie dough fills me with dread.

You see, pie dough has been my nemesis. In a previous post I briefly touched on these issues, but I didn't expound on the problems that I have had. I have made quite a few pies in the past, and while my crusts were, for the most part, passable, they were far from perfect. My crusts were sometimes soggy, always tough, either pasty white or overly brown. And flaky, that adjective which is bestowed upon the very best of pie crusts, would never, ever be used to describe one of my "masterpieces." As an admitted perfectionist, this absolutely rankled.

Still, I am not one to give up. But after a disastrous attempt at Smitten Kitchen's peach and creme fraiche pie (the sides of the crust sunk down underneath the filling), I was almost ready to throw in my rolling pin. Then came the aforementioned September alphabet issue of Gourmet (at this rate I am going to end up cooking my way through the A-Z recipe list). When I saw the Pear Butterscotch Pie I was somewhat uncertain because pears and I have had quite a volatile relationship. When I was little I absolutely despised them, but now I can think of few fruits that taste better than ripe, juicy pears. I love them raw, but I had never tried baking with them because my juvenile pear prejudice popped up when it came to cooking. I decided that making this pie would give me the opportunity to put that to rest, and to give crust-making one more go.

Before I set about making this pie, I did some dough research and thought about how my crusts had gone awry in the past. I figured that my issues were a result of some, or all, of the following issues: too much flour, too much water, letting the crust get too warm, and overworking the dough. I did my best to avoid these missteps; I kept my butter very cold, left larger chunks when I cut it into the flour (I had to fight the urge to make it all uniform), added only enough water to make the dough just come together (or so I thought), being careful not to handle it too much, and stashed it in the fridge to firm up before rolling.

I was feeling really good about myself until I attempted to roll out the dough and it just crumbled. I was disheartened, but I grabbed more ice water and plunged ahead, sprinkling it over the dough crumbles and folding with my bench scraper until it actually came together. After another quick chill the dough was ready to go and I was able to roll out my dough rounds. I breathed a sigh of relief after I slid my assembled pie into the oven, but I was still a bit nervous about the final product.

When I pulled my pie out close to hour later, my heart did a little leap at the lovely golden crust, and when I finally cut into the cooled pie and tasted it, I almost wanted to cry (as you can probably tell, pie making turns me into quite the drama queen). Flaky. Finally, a tender, flaky crust. Rich, buttery, and yes, I will say it again, flaky. I will admit to a bit (okay, an exceeding amount) of basking in the glory of my pie crust.

As for the pie filling, I do think that "butterscotch" is a bit of a misnomer. This could, however, be due to that fact that my experience with butterscotch flavor comes from hard candies and pudding from a box. Overall, I thought the flavor was similar to apple pie, though I think that is largely due to the cinnamon and nutmeg used in the filling. I liked that the recipe called for the pears to be cut into thick wedges, as opposed to the thin slices that are often found in apple pies. The large chunks of pear added some textural interest to the pie, and kept the pear flavor at the forefront. One minor issue I had was that when the dark brown sugar, flour, and spices baked together, it created a sort of sludge on the bottom of the pie. I know that sounds horribly unappetizing, but "sludge" is the first word that popped into my head when I saw it. It was delicious, just not the most visually appealing. But sludge be damned, at that moment I felt like a pie superstar.

Pear Butterscotch Pie
Gourmet, September 2009

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour1 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp grated nutmeg1/8 tsp salt1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar2 1/2 lbs firm-ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears (about 5), peeled, each cut into 6 wedges and cored1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice1 tsp pure vanilla extractAll-butter pastry dough (recipe follows)1 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into bits1 large egg beaten with 1 Tbsp warm water1 Tbsp granulated sugar
Put a baking sheet on middle rack of oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then whisk in brown sugar, breaking up any lumps. Gently toss pears with brown sugar mixture, lemon juice, and vanilla and let stand 5 to 15 minutes to macerate fruit.
Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining disk chilled) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13 inch round. Fit into a 9 inch pie plate. Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 13 inch round.
Transfer filling to shell. Dot with butter, then cover with pastry round. Trim edges, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Press edges together to seal, then fold under. Lightly brush top crust with some of the egg wash, then cut three (1 inch long) vents.
Bake pie on hot baking sheet 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 375 degrees and bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes more (mine took longer). Cool to warm or room temperature, 2 to 3 hours.

Gourmet's note: Pie is best the day it is made but can be baked 1 day ahead (I thought it was even better out of the fridge the next day, but I love cold pie).

All-Butter Pastry Dough
Gourmet, September 2009

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 tsp salt
6 to 10 Tbsp ice water

Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender* (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of the mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps.

Drizzle 6 Tbsp ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.

Squeeze a small handful: if it doesn't hold together add more ice water, 1/2 Tbsp at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again (do not overwork mixture or pastry will be tough).
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one, and divide into 2 equal pieces. Press each piece into a ball, then flatten into a 5 inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Gourmet's note: Dough can be chilled up to 3 days.

*Confession: I don't have a pastry blender, so i used a large whisk to cut in the butter. It might not be the best for my whisk, but I found it more effective than trying to cut in the butter with 2 knives, and I didn't want to melt the butter by using my fingers.

Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Heros

2009-09-20T14:00:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite guilty pleasure foods is the eggplant Parmesan sub at my local pizzeria. It is made up of a crusty sub roll bursting with thin slices of deep fried eggplant, marinara sauce, and enough mozzarella cheese to cover a small pizza. It is absolutely delicious, in the way that anything deep fried and cheese-covered is delicious. Unfortunately (or maybe not), the guilt tends to outweigh the pleasure. For this reason, I am constantly on the lookout for eggplant parm sandwiches that are more kind to the conscience (and waistline).

Well, I am happy to report, the search is over. Earlier this summer I made a version with roasted eggplant, fresh mozzarella, and homemade foccacia, and while it was good, it didn't make my heart go pitter-pat. Then came the September issue of Gourmet, a "Special All-Recipe Issue" with an alphabet theme. There, filling the E spot in the "Recipes A-Z" section, was a Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Hero. It was love at first sight. So I made a shopping list and set out to make these subs for the Ravens' season opener (I freely admit that the only reason I "watch" football is to have an excuse to make football-watching food).

And oh, I can not say enough good things about these sandwiches. They are better than the subs with the deep fried eggplant because you can actually taste the eggplant. The flavors are able to shine through without being subdued by all of the fat that comes from frying. Also, grilling the lightly oiled eggplant slices (even on my stove top grill pan) gives it a smokiness that made the flavor more interesting and complex. The roll is also grilled, so it has some of the smoky flavor along with a nice crust that stands up to the sauce and tender eggplant.

The fresh tomato sauce, which takes advantage of the late-summer tomatoes, is what really elevates this sub into the realm of deliciousness. It is easy to make and has a bright tomato flavor. Caramelized onion contributes a bit of sweetness, and the addition of some freshly grated Parmesan cheese gives the sauce a salty richness. I also appreciate the fact that the recipe does not call for the basil to be stirred into the sauce; a liberal sprinkling of the coarsely chopped basil lends a freshness to the sandwich.

If I didn't already love Gourmet magazine this recipe would have sealed the deal for me. It has only been a week, but I already want to make this again. Now I know that the next time I get a hankering for an eggplant parm sub I am going to pass on the takeout menu (and the tummy ache) and head to the grocery store.

Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Heros
Gourmet, September 2009 (via epicurious)

For tomato sauce:
1 1/2 lbs tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

For eggplant heros:
4 (6 inch) hero or hoagie rolls, split (the sub rolls at my grocery store were sub par -haha- so I used one loaf of French bread, cut into 4 pieces)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided (I used less)
2 (1 lb) eggplants
1/2 lb thinly sliced provolone or fresh mozzarella, divided (I used provolone)
1 cup basil leaves, chopped

Make tomato sauce:
Puree tomatoes in a blender until very smooth. Heat oil in a 3 to 4 quart heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Saute onion and garlic with red pepper flakes until golden, about 4 minutes. Add tomato puree, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

Make sandwiches:
Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas).*
Brush cut sides of rolls with 1 tablespoon oil total.
Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Brush both sides with remaining 3 tablespoons oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Oil grill rack, then grill eggplant (covered only if using a gas grill), loosening with a metal spatula and turning occasionally to avoid overbrowning, until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Top eggplant (still on grill) evenly with half of slices cheese, then grill, covered, until cheese begins to melt, about 30 seconds. Transfer eggplant with spatula to a large tray.
Grill rolls (cut side only) until grill marks appear, about 1 minute, and transfer to tray. Transfer grilled rolls to 4 plates and spoon about 3 tablespoons tomato sauce onto each bottom piece. Top with eggplant, making 2 layers. Add remaining sauce, then top with basil and remaining cheese and close sandwiches.

*If you, like me, do not have a grill, you can cook the eggplant in a grill pan over medium high heat. The approximate cooking times will remain the same. When it comes time to melt the cheese, tent the pan with a piece of foil. If you don't have a grill pan you could also saute the eggplant or roast it in a hot oven.

Penne with Beet Greens and Roasted Potatoes

2009-09-15T12:44:00.001-04:00

When I first started cooking, I would follow a recipe exactly. If I couldn't find an ingredient, then I wouldn't make the dish. I was too new, too uncertain to heed my as yet unidentified cooking instincts, and I was too inexperienced to know that trial and error is one of the best ways to become a better cook. My strict adherence to recipes led to some disasters, such as the enchiladas that turned into soup (thanks a lot Tyler Florence). I had the suspicion that the filling didn't need all of that chicken stock, but the recipe told me to do it. I ended up in tears on more than one occasion.

Now that I have a few years of experience under my, uh, apron, more often than not I don't follow recipes to the letter. I am cooking for myself and my family, and I know what we like, so I taste as I go and adjust accordingly. It seems obvious to me now, but a few years ago I was so caught up in following directions that I forgot to actually check and see if I liked the way the dishes tasted. Of course I still make plenty of culinary mistakes, but now I am much more relaxed about them.

Flexibility in cooking is not only good for my stress level, it also helps me finish up ingredients that I am not sure how to use. I look at what I have, then run through my mental recipe file (or, more likely, my folders upon folders of bookmarked online recipes) and see what I can make with what I need to use up and what I have on hand. This is what I did when I was left with a giant pile of beet greens after making my Beet and Goat Cheese Tart. I had never cooked (or eaten) beet greens before, but I knew that I didn't want them to go to waste. I considered a salad, but at that point the greens were slightly past their prime. Then I remembered having bookmarked a Smitten Kitchen recipe that had paired pasta with potatoes and arugula. I had been intrigued by the whole carbs on carbs aspect, and since I had everything else on hand, I decided to go ahead and make it, subbing out the arugula with beet greens.

I followed the basic recipe, adjusting the cooking times to make sure that the beet stems, which were gorgeous shades of magenta and chartreuse, had time to become tender. I also gave the garlic more time to mellow, and cut down on the amount of olive oil (I tend to think that a lot of recipes go overboard in the olive oil department - I am looking at you Food Network chefs). Overall I really liked this recipe. I love pasta and I am always looking for new, interesting ingredient combinations. This dish had a nice juxtuposition of flavors, textures, and colors; the sweet red onion with the slightly bitter greens, the tender potatoes and al dente pasta, it all worked very well together. Plus, it tasted even better cold out of the fridge the next day. Ok fine, later that night.

Penne with Beet Greens and Roasted Potatoes
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's adaptation of the recipe from Chez Panisse Vegetables

1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, sliced into 1/3" rounds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or to taste), with extra for brushing
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Greens from 2 bunches beets; stems cut into 1/2" lengths, leaves coarsely chopped
1 red onion, sliced thin
4 cloves garlic (use less if you want a more mild garlic flavor), minced
1 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped
3/4 lb. penne
1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place potato slices on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Flip slices and repeat. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes, until tender and golden brown.

When potatoes are done, put on a pot of water to boil and cook pasta, according to package directions, until al dente. Meanwhile, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped beet stems and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add sliced onion and continue to cook, about 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Stir in garlic and cook about one minute, then add chopped beet greens and saute until wilted. Add potatoes and rosemary and toss together gently. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.

Drain pasta, reserving some of the cooking water, and add to vegetables. Squeeze the juice from half of a lemon over the top, and drizzle with a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil. Toss together and taste, adding salt, pepper, and olive oil to your liking. You can also stir in a bit of the pasta water if you would like to loosen it up.

Beet and Goat Cheese Tart

2009-09-14T16:31:00.001-04:00

I adore cookbooks. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) I do not have the space or the expendable income to feed my incessant cookbook hunger. To tide me over, every so often I head to the library and take out a big stack of cookbooks - usually renewing them until the library forces me to give them back (at which point I might break down and order one from Amazon, cough cough). On one of these escapades I picked up The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: the New Classics, a book that hooked me with a single picture. It was of a gorgeous tart, covered with multicolored discs of roasted beets and scattered with fresh thyme. And the recipe title: Beet and Goat Cheese Tart. Goat cheese, I love you. Beets, I love you more. I knew that it had to be in my life.

So off I went to Whole Foods, braving the crowds in a quest for a trio of beets. I bought bunches of red and golden organic beets, but the chiogga beets (which I had actually never heard of prior to making this tart) were nowhere to be found. I was a bit disappointed, I had loved their stripes in the picture, but I pressed on, grabbing some goat cheese, ricotta, fontina, and fresh thyme.

My expectations were high as I started with Martha's "Perfect Pate Brise." I am going to admit now that I haven't had much luck with pie dough in the past, but this came together very quickly in my food processor. It made a nice crust, but I think that calling it "perfect" is a bit of an overstatement. The roasted beets, on the hand, were fantastic. When I sliced them I almost wanted to cry, they were so beautiful. Did I mention that I love beets? It's a good thing (I just made myself chuckle. Martha Stewart, good thing... Yes, I am easily amused.) that I roasted extra because I ate more than a few slices.

As I spread goat cheese and ricotta over my crust and topped it with the roasted beets I marveled at the loveliness of my tart and prematurely patted myself on the back. Dratted expectations. Oh, the tart was not bad. It tasted good, quite good, but it was not the sublime taste experience that I had anticipated. The buttery pie dough along with all of the goat cheese (and I didn't even use the entire pound that the recipe called for) muted the flavors of the beets and the thyme. It was just too rich; I enjoyed the beets much more on their own.

Despite my disappointment this recipe was not a total loss. I am already envisioning a new incarnation of this dish as a pizza. I think that a crusty pizza dough will be a nice foil to the creamy cheese and tender beets. Maybe toasted walnuts for crunch and some arugula for a peppery bite. Now I am picturing it as a salad. Oh yes, I will definitely be revisiting the beet and goat cheese pairing. Until then, stay tuned to find out how I put all of my beet greens to use.

*I don't have the recipe for this tart, but it would be fairly simple to replicate. I have already provided the link to Martha Stewart's Pate Brise, and she also has a recipe for basic roasted beets on her website. I do think that the recipe needs some work, but that may just be my taste. If you have tried this recipe or if you have a beet recipe that you would like to share, leave a message in the comments.

Stuffed Scallop Squash

2009-09-12T13:40:00.001-04:00

I am a little embarrassed to admit that I made my first adult trip to a farmer's market this summer. The fact that I hadn't been to one since I was a small child led to some pretty unrealistic expectations. In my imagination there were stalls as far as the eye could see, filled with a dizzying array of fresh fruits and vegetables. I was obviously living in denial, since I knew that the farmer's market was in a Best Buy parking lot. As you can probably guess, I was a little disappointed when I saw four small stalls, all of which were missing the purple carrots and fresh cranberry beans of my fantasies.

After the initial disappointment wore off and I came back to reality, I appreciated the fact that there actually was a rather sizable selection of fresh, local produce that I wouldn't be able to pick up at the supermarket. There weren't any purple carrots, but I did find some purple bell peppers, cute green heirloom tomatoes, a basket of zucchini, fresh beets, and some blackberries that made their way into a delicious crumb cake. Also, at one of the stalls, next to the zucchini and yellow squash, I saw some squash that were a bit of a mystery to me. I had eaten tiny yellow and green pattypan squash once before, but these were bigger and a very pale green. Since I am a big fan of summer squash I bought a small basket and headed home to start googling.

With a bit of internet research I found out that I had another type of pattypan, also called scallop, squash. In my searching I came across a recipe for stuffed pattypans on Allrecipes.com that involved bacon and parmesan, and I knew immediately what was to become of my scallop squash.

This recipe came together very easily, and I felt quite virtuous for using my local squash and pepper, but the filling was by far the best part of the dish. The smoky bacon and salty bite of the cheese was a nice contrast to the sweetness of the shallots and bell pepper. I liked the scalloped shape of the squash and appreciated the novelty of eating something new, but the actual squash had a slightly bitter taste to me. Next time I will probably take the same filling and stuff some halved zucchini. Zucchini is easier to find, and the length of the vegetable will provide more surface area for the stuffing to develop a crust.

Stuffed Scallop Squash
Adapted from allrecipes.com

6 medium scallop squash
6 strips bacon, chopped
2 small shallots, diced
1 small bell pepper, I used purple, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (from about 2 slices bread)
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano (you can also use parmesan), plus 2 tbsp for topping
1 tbsp slivered basil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a wide, shallow pan with one inch of water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add squash, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a fork. Drain squash and set aside until cool enough to handle. Slice off the top stem and scoop out the innards; coarsely chop and reserve for filling.

Cook bacon until crisp (I use the same pan - fewer dishes), and remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Poor off most of the fat, then add the onion and bell pepper and saute over medium heat until softened. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute, stirring. Stir in the reserved squash innards and continue cooking another minute.

Remove pan from heat and stir in bread crumbs, cheese, and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add filling to hollowed-out squash, mounding the stuffing, and place in a baking dish. Top each with a bit of grated cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the squash are heated through and the topping is golden.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

2009-09-11T16:53:00.006-04:00

Last month I made my first homemade pizza dough, and it changed my life. Well, perhaps I am exaggerating, but the truth is that since then I have been obsessed with making pizza. The pizza stone that was still in its box a year after I bought it has taken up permanent residence in my oven, my list of bookmarked pizza recipes is growing at an alarming rate, and sometimes I find myself daydreaming about what I can put on a round of dough (roasted beets and goat cheese, yes please!).

This fascination with homemade pizza started with a recipe on my very favorite food blog, Smitten Kitchen (if you have not yet perused this site, well, what are you waiting for?). Deb had posted a recipe for a zucchini and goat cheese pizza that rocketed to the top of my "Make Now!!" list. I was a little intimidated by making my own crust, but Deb made it seem so easy that I decided to give it a whirl. As it turns out, making pizza dough is ridiculously easy; you stir together some ingredients, knead them on the counter for a couple of minutes, then let the dough rise for a while. The zucchini pizza was fantastic (goat cheese makes my heart sing!), and I have used the same crust recipe for a few different pizzas, including a traditional tomato and mozzarella, a garlicky white pizza (recipe coming), and this, a Buffalo chicken pizza.

I made this pizza for my friend Arthur, whom I met at the very beginning of our first year of college. A bond that developed over Calculus homework deepened into a close friendship between two people with many mutual interests. We shared a love of movies, staying up ridiculously late, and eating pizza and copious amounts of hot Buffalo wings. I don't even want to think about how much pizza and wings we put away during our years in a tiny college town with limited dining options.

Of course it was inevitable that those two loves would come together in the culinary marriage that is Buffalo chicken pizza. In the last ten or so years we have partaken in many a Buffalo chicken pizza, and consistency has been an issue. I remember a particularly delicious incarnation in Troy, NY, but most of those pizzas were disappointing in the taste department. This inconsistency, coupled with the fact that I've developed a conscience when it comes to chowing down on greasy, fatty foods, prompted my decision to forgo delivery and try my hand at making my own Buffalo chicken pizza when Arthur came to visit.

I am happy to report that this pizza was simple, delicious, and guilt free; Arthur and I didn't even miss the take out. Now, I'm off to roast some beets...

Buffalo Chicken Pizza
This recipe is infinitely adaptable; you can play around with the amounts of hot sauce and cheese to suit your taste, or add additional toppings. This makes a small pizza that serves two to three people. I like to serve it with a big bowl of celery and carrots and blue cheese dressing for dipping.

1 recipe Smitten Kitchen's Really Simple Pizza Dough (I like to use 1 cup white flour, and 1/2 cup whole wheat)
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
Grill seasoning, or salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 to 1/3 cup hot sauce
2 oz. crumbled blue cheese
2 oz. mozzarella, shredded
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Cornmeal (optional)

Prepare pizza dough as directed. While dough is rising, preheat a grill pan over medium heat. Butterfly the chicken breast, and season with grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Brush your heated grill pan with a thin layer of oil, and grill chicken, about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through. You could also cook the chicken in a skillet, or use leftover chicken. Remove chicken breast to a cutting board, and allow to rest before cutting into 3/4" cubes. Toss chicken pieces with hot sauce in a small bowl.

After the dough has risen, punch down and let rest on the the counter, covered with plastic wrap, for 20 minutes. Preheat your oven, with a pizza stone if available, to 450 degrees. Once rested, roll and stretch your dough to a 12" circle. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a pizza peel (or the back of a cookie sheet, as I do) and sprinkle with cornmeal, of desired. Place your dough circle on the parchment, and top with chicken. Sprinkle with blue cheese and mozzarella, and scatter pizza with scallions, holding a few aside for garnish.

Slide pizza onto preheated stone and bake until the crust is golden and puffed, and the cheese is bubbly and nicely browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and slice into 6 pieces.

Croissants

2009-08-31T18:13:00.001-04:00

There are many reasons why I might decide to make a particular dish: a drool-inducing photo, a particularly tantalizing recipe title, a glowing review, or the mere presence of cilantro and lime. Sometimes, though, I want to try my hand at a recipe simply because it strikes me as a challenge. These challenge recipes tend to fall into two distinct categories: extremely labor intensive, or mildly stomach-turning (I've got my eye on a mussel custard). When I saw the long, intricately detailed recipe for croissants in Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook, I knew I had to try them. I've never been a huge croissant fan (when it comes to breakfast breads, I am all about the bagels), but how could I pass up three days of rolling, folding, and baking?

Well, I wish I could say that it was a complete success. The final product was tasty, but I made a couple of mistakes along the way. First, I let my dough rise too long in the fridge. When I took it out to begin day two, it had begun to escape its plastic wrappings. On the positive side, I knew my yeast was fresh. My second mistake resulted from some miscommunication between me and Martha (ok, I misunderstood the directions). After completing all of the folding and rolling, the recipe told me to cut my rectangle in half and stack the two pieces, then cut out the triangles. I missed the part about separating the triangles into two layers, so I ended up with croissants that were twice as thick as they should have been. This, combined with my over-risen dough, left me with somewhat tough croissants. They had that signature croissant flavor (some may call it butter), but there were not as airy as I would have liked.

Being the perfectionist that I am (those rookie mistakes haunt me), I will try making croissants again. If you would like to try your hand at making croissants, Martha has a different recipe on her website. The directions look even more in depth than those in the cookbook, so I may try that one next time. I am also eyeing the recipe in my giant (and awesome) Gourmet Cookbook. If you have a croissant recipe that you adore or any tips that you would like to share, I would love to read about them in the comments.

Welcome to Crumbs!

2009-07-23T20:22:00.001-04:00

I am going to start this blog with a confession: My name is Kelly, and I am addicted to cooking blogs. I mean, up until four in the morning, listening to the birds chirp, shuffling through the archives of my favorites. There is just something about appetite-whetting photos coupled with a witty narrative that I find absolutely irresistible. I'm sure it's not a surprise that my blog addiction was spawned by my deep adoration of cookbooks, cooking magazines, and television shows about cooking.

At this point I am probably stating the obvious when I say that I love food, and I love to cook. I am not a foodie (I am far too dedicated to Rachael Ray and the occasional Taco Bell run for that), but I am very open minded about trying new things, and I love to cook with fresh ingredients. Lately I have been inspired to really branch out and change the way that I cook, and to challenge myself by making more food from scratch. Starting my own blog to document these culinary exploits seemed like a natural next step.

I plan on updating this blog every few days with new tales of my kitchen adventures. I will follow and review recipes from a wide variety of cookbooks, magazines, and blogs. Right now I am focused on using more whole foods and increasing the number of meatless dishes in my repertoire, so you can expect to see a lot of those recipes. Also, I have been bitten by the baking bug (alliterative, much?), so you will find out what happens to a dough-phobic gal that decides she wants to be a bread maker. This blog will also feature pictures of my cooking projects. I am not much of a photographer, and my apartment kitchen is far (oh so very far) from photogenic, but I am going to give it my best shot.

So welcome to Crumbs! I hope that you enjoy my blog, and that I can inspire some people to get in the kitchen and get creative. If you have any cooking questions or if there are any recipes that you would like to see featured here, send me an e-mail or leave a message in the comments. I would like to use this blog to learn more, so I also encourage you to leave any feedback, tips, or advice in the comments.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with a cutting board and some mixing bowls.