My New Love

First, I'd like to admit that I am not what most would consider a "normal" woman. Yes, I certainly enjoy perfume and purses and shoes--especially as gifts--but I have never been disappointed with a gift that relates to the kitchen and/or cooking. One of my most memorable Christmases was the one where every gift from friends, family, and significant other was for the kitchen.  I was estatic. So, with that said, you can imagine my excitement when I bit the bullet and treated myself to a brand new toy for my birthday. It took me two years and lots of research... I bought an electric smoker. The plus to that is no running out of propane part way through and no worries about heat fluctuations and fire flare ups. The downside, you can't use it unprotected if it's raining.

Now, I have to give a few lessons learned from this purchase. One, buy lots of meat. Two, think ahead and use marinades or dry rubs (my preference is the dry rub). Three, make sure you are friends with your neighbors because your entire neighborhood will smell devine and they won't like you much if you're smoking meat every weekend and don't offer some!

So far, I've smoked several racks of ribs, a pork butt, a pork loin, a whole chicken, chicken legs, and a chuck roast. On the line up: salmon, beef jerky, and a lamb roast...maybe not at the same time.

I bought a model that has 4 smoking racks, a meat thermometer, and a remote control. (Insert  Tim Allen "Tool Time Man Laugh" here.) It is programmable up to 250 degrees and many hours (I've only used it to 7 hours so far).  The window in the front allows you to see progress or just act as a tease.  Surprisingly, it only takes about a cup of soaked woodchips to produce a wonderful smokey flavor.  Also included is a moisture tray that will add steam to the smoke so your meat turns out moist and juicy. As a bonus, it also collects a lot of the drippings, making clean up a lot easier. I purchased mine at Sam's Club for just under $300 (and the use of a heafty gift card helped seal the deal!).  It is the Masterbuilt model...pictures attached, because it's just too good not to and you can't get "new smoker smell" from the internet...yet.

At long last, I'm back!

After a difficult summer, filled with challenges and heartbreak, I'm finally ready to resume my posts. As you know, it all began with my carpal tunnel surgery, which put me out of operation for a while. Shortly thereafter, my younger brother was admitted to the hospital with severe back pain. It was a grueling couple of months filled with hope and prayers for a miracle, but by the end of summer, he lost his battle and cancer won. Our family has been devestated by the loss and still struggle today.  During the weeks of uncertainty, we turned to things of comfort--mutual support, the familiar. Not that we felt much like eating, but when we did, it was the "old favorites" that got us through.  While spending as much time as I could with my brother, we would talk about one of our favorite pasttimes--cooking. My brother was a great cook and we could talk for hours about the nuances of a particular recipe or ingredient. One afternoon was spent discussing the many uses of avocado. Growing up in Southern California, avocados were always around, but their use was limited.  I had recently discovered avocado fries and was describing them to him and he wanted so much to try them. Unfortunately, it was something he couldn't eat without great difficulty, so imagination had to suffice.  So, in honor of my brother, I'm going to share this wonderful, easy, decadent treat with you. I hope you take the time to make it and share it with someone you love...

Avocado Fries

1 or 2 large avocados, just ripe
1 beaten egg
Panko
Salt
Vegetable oil, for frying

Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a heavy duty pan to 350 degrees.

While the oil is heating, slice avocado in half, remove pit, and slice into long strips. Dip each strip into the beaten egg and then roll into the panko.

Fry a few at a time, being careful not to over-crowd the pan, until just golden. Do not over-cook. You do not want them to turn a dark brown.  Once they have reached the desired color, remove to a plate to drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with a little salt. Serve hot.

For extra goodness, serve with a sprinkling of fresh lemon juice and Salsa Ranch dressing for dipping. The outside should be crisp and the inside a little like butter!

Just between us...

First, I want to appologize for so few entries of late.  I've been dealing with moderately severe carpal tunnel syndrome for a long time now, and after being on the computer all day at work, getting on the computer at home was just painful and would result in a night of no sleep.  The good news is, I had surgery to correct it about a week and a half ago. While typing with a banaged hand is not ideal, I can mange for short amounts of time. Worse, I've had to resort to a lot of pre-prepped meals! Cooking with your dominant hand out of commission is challenging, at best. One handed baking is next to impossible!

With that said, I would like you to know that I am on the road to recovery and should be able to share some fantastic summer recipes very soon.  The stitches come out next week and it's all downhill from there.  Until then, have a great holiday weekend and unofficial kickoff to summer!

Chocolate Protiferoles

  When asked to bring a dessert for a small dinner party, I toiled over what to make. So many choices! The girls wanted chocolate and suggested brownies. Cake seemed too formal. We were going on a hike in the afternoon and were finishing the evening with some wine and a healthy dinner (our hostess made a wonderful Spanish Salmon with Rice, Asparagus, and Salad!), so I opted for something light, chocolate, and not-too-sweet: Chocolate Protiferoles. They are so easy to make, I wonder why I make them so infrequently!


They are done in two stages: the eggy puffed pastry shell and the light and creamy filling. As I was putting them together, I was reminded of a comment from years ago: “These are better than sex!” (I told my friend she must be doing it wrong if that were the case, but that’s a different tale completely!).

One batch of the Pate Choux will make approximately 48 protiferoles or 18-24 full sized cream puffs. This same recipe can be used for éclairs (the filling will differ, however) or savory cheese puffs (not of the orange-glow variety!). Once added to your repertoire, you will certainly return to this over and over again.

Pate a Choux

Preheat oven to 425*

1 c all purpose flour

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c water

1/2 c whole milk

6 TBSP (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

4-5 eggs

For egg wash: 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

Bring water, milk and butter to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. At the boil, remove from heat and add flour, salt, and sugar all at once. Using a sturdy spoon, stir vigorously to combine.

Return to medium heat and stir constantly in figure eights. Cook for at least 4 minutes or until the mixture has a smooth, mashed potato-like appearance.  This helps to break down the starch and devolop the gluten. Remove it from the heat.

Transfer to a standing mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment.  Mix on low speed for 1-2 minutes or until the dough cools to 180*.  Add 4 or the eggs, one at a time. be sure to let the batter absorb each egg and scrape down the bowl after each egg.  Before adding the last egg, test for consistency.  Pinch off about 1 tsp of dough, hold between your thumb and index finger, pull finger apart, dough should stretch rather than break.  If it breaks, add the last egg.  Mix on low until thoroughly incorporated.  Dough should be be shiny and smooth.  it is now ready to pipe.  To store, cover the surface with plastic wrap and refigerate for up to 2 days.

Place dough in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" tip.  Pipe 1-1/2" puffs onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Pat down peaks with your finger dipped in water to smooth out. Cover lightly with egg wash.

Bake at 425* for 10-12 minutes or until the puffs begin to rise, then turn oven down to 350* and rotate the baking sheet.  Cool completely before filling.  Can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate Filling

 adapted from the King Arther Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook

1/4 c butter, unsalted

2/3 c sugar

2 eggs

2 cups milk

1/3 c flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp coffee flavoring

2-3 squares unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate

Whipped Cream

In a saucepan over very low heat, mix the butter and sugar and cook for 3 minutes. Beat the eggs into 1 3/4 cups milk and slowly add to the butter/sugar mixture, stirring all the time.

Blend the flour with 1/4 cup of milk, add to the hot mixture and cook until thick. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and well blended.  Let cool, and add the salt, vanilla, and coffee. When cold, fold into stiff whipped cream. Pipe into cream puffs.

After all the cream puff shells have been filled, drizzle the tops with melted dark or semi-sweet chocolate. Serve immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container. Often, the chocolate will develop a glossy sheen after refrigerating.

Forbidden Fruit

Growing up, spring was always announced with the pungent aroma of thousands of sweet smelling orange blossoms. Their fragrance would fill the air with such intensity that I felt like I was walking through a perfumery. Everything would smell of neroli—clothes, shoes, hair, skin. It was an exciting time of the year as we, my whole family, knew the arrival of summer and the grand, thick-skinned, juicy navel oranges were coming soon. Walking home from school, their cool dark green leaves would beckon refuge from the unrelenting sun. Hidden within was the prize. Gleaming like gold coins in a pirate’s chest, I was drawn to their glistening flesh. Giving in, I would steal my bounty, hoping not to be betrayed by the rousing of the branches that were sure to give me away. They would almost yell in protest to my actions, but they would soon quiet and I would be far away. Ah, those hot summer days were tempered when that first bit of sweet skin was broken, the encapsulated life force spraying a mist over everything, enticing me with the temptation of what was hidden inside. As I cut open the skin and peeled it away, discarding the fragments haphazardly wherever they may fall, I tried unsuccessfully to withdraw from the mist that both delighted and irritated me. The challenge that made the reward so much sweeter was to peel away the exterior without becoming blinded for life by the escaping oil, all the while being pulled in further by their intoxicating aroma. Hurriedly, I would break apart the golden globe, revealing the treasure. That first taste exploded into an orgasm of the senses. Cool, sweet juices overpowered my tongue, rested on my lips, and ran down my chin. I didn’t care. I only wanted more. With abandon, I would eagerly devour each wonderful segment until the only thing left was fulfillment. I would resolve to licking my lips in search of those last few drops. Satisfied, I would run off to my next adventure until once again I was drawn by the familiar wafting perfume on the gentle evening breeze tempting me to sin once more.

Cookbooks and Coffee Cake

My dear friend, Sarah, has fed my insatiable appetite for cookbooks by loaning me two amazing tomes. The first, The Zuni Café Cookbook, looks amazing though I haven’t taken the steps to try the recipes. I have a list that I’ll have to attack one weekend when I’m able to devote the time to such an endeavor as the recipes are somewhat time intensive. The other book is by Mary and Vincent Price, A Treasury of Great Recipes. Yes, the legendary actor known for his portrayals of all beings dark and mysterious. I was entranced by the culinary variety in this book. Who knew that he and his wife were such gastronomes? Detailing their travels through Europe and the US during the late 1950’s and 60’s, they offer recipes from restaurants around the world as well as recreations of their favorite dishes. Each recipe is accompanied by a memory; each chapter by story. Menus document the origins of many recipes. I spent three days reading the book as if it were a best-selling novel, marking the pages I had to return to. I began to wonder if I had enough Post-Its!

So, Sunday morning, I set out to make one of the many mouth-watering entries that captured my attention. I decided on Coffee Cake.
The recipe is deceptively simple and produces enough coffee cake to satisfy the hunger of an early morning breakfast crowd. One batch will make four 8” cakes (so, at a 2” square per person, that’s 64 pieces!!). There are four varieties with the one recipe: Streusel, Cinnamon, Apple, and Cranberry. I didn’t have cranberries and my daughter was begging for something blueberry, so I took some liberties and changed the one version. I’ll post the original along with my substitutions.


The cakes turn out moist and fairly dense. Somewhat of a cross between a sponge and a pound cake, the texture is substantial enough to be filling but light enough to encourage a second helping. The flavorful variations provide the variety needed for a beautiful display of delights.

Although this is not my usual format, I’m going to write the recipe as it is found in the book.


Breakfast Breads
Makes four 8” square breads

Flour
Baking powder
Salt
Sugar
Shortening or butter
Milk
Eggs

1. In mixing bowl combine: 8 cups sifted all-purpose flour, 4 tablespoons double-acting baking powder, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 cups sugar.

2. Beat: 3 cups milk and 4 eggs.

3. Stir liquid into flour mixture to make a lumpy batter.

4. Stir in: 2 cups melted shortening or butter.

5. Divide batter into 4 greased 8” square baking pans and bake in a preheated 375*F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until breads test done. Remove from pans to cool on racks. When cool, wrap and freeze. Reheat in moderate 350* oven for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.



Cinnamon Nut Bread: Sprinkle the batter in one of the pans with: ½ cup brown sugar mixed with ½ cup chopped nut meats and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Streusel Bread: Sprinkle the batter in one of the pans with: ½ cup brown sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons butter, and ½ cup chopped nut meats.

Cranberry Bread: Bring to a boil: 2 cups whole cranberries, 2/3 cups sugar, 1 pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons grated orange rind, and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn mixture into bottom of greased 8” square cake pan. Pour one-quarter of the breakfast bread batter over the cranberries and bake. Turn out, cranberry side up, to cool.

Note: This is where I substituted blueberries for the cranberries. I replaced the orange with lemon and followed everything else to the letter. It was DIVINE.

Apple Bread: Generously butter a 9” square cake pan. Sprinkle bottom with: ½ cup sugar and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Cover with: 2 cups sliced apples. Pour one-quarter of the breakfast bread batter over the apples and bake. Turn out, apple side up, to cool.

Mushroom Turnovers

 Too long ago, I had a mushroom tart at a local Tapas restaurant, FireFly, and fell in love with it. Since then, I've been on a quest to recreate it and make it my own. I can't say that it's an exact duplicate, but this recipe comes pretty close. Made with flakey puff pastry and a rich and creamy filling, it is delightful. It's light but filling. Normally, I like to make as many things from "scratch" as I can. This recipe "cheats" in that department, but the results are worth it.

Mushroom Turnovers

1 package cremini mushrooms, stems removed, washed and cut small
1 jar mushroom alfredo sauce
1/2 white onion, diced
Butter
Olive Oil
Fresh ground nutmeg
Fresh Pepper

Frozen Puff Pastry

Preheat Oven: 400*

Combine the mushrooms, onions and a few tablespoons of both olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Cook until the mushrooms and onion are tender. Add the alfredo sauce and season with pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cut pastry into squares. Wet the edges and fill 1/2 with a generous tablespoon of mushroom filling. Fold over into triangles and seal the edges, use a fork if necessary to make sure it is a tight seal. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat. Coat with a light egg wash, milk, or cooking spray to enhance color.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden. Serve hot.
You can use any of the leftover mushroom filling over the hot pastries.

Cardamom Bread Pudding

So I posted the recipe for Cardamom Bread. Rarely do I ever have an extra loaf sitting around getting stale; however, this is one of those rare occassions.  I couldn't bring myself to the point of tossing a loaf, so I set out to do something creative with it. I have an amazing recipe for bread pudding that is sweet and custardy, and I thought it would be the perfect use for my lonely loaf. I was not wrong! The pudding turned out as expected...a thick layer of custard with a chewy topping of bread. A dollup of whipped cream just put it over the edge.  It has become my new favorite.  Of course, after this version, any dried-out bread pudding is just unacceptable. Be prepared to be completely spoiled for life!


Cardamom Bread Pudding

16 oz Half and Half
8 oz Heavy Cream
8 Eggs
1 C Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 Loaf Cardamom Bread, slightly stale & cut into 1/2" thick slices
1 TBSP Raisins
1/2 TBSP Cinnamom
1/4 tsp Nutmeg

Combine half & half, cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Arrange bread on the bottom of a 10" x 10" x 2" pan. Pour liquid mixture over the bread. Sprinkle the raisins over all then the cinnamon and nutmeg with a little sugar. Cover the pan with foil and place in a second baking pan with water to almost the top of the pudding pan. Bake at 400* for 75-90 minutes. Remove when custard is set. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.

 Look at that thick layer of custard...Yummm!

Gnocchi

For Christmas, I was given a fabulous cookbook, Culinaria European Specialties. The book is beautifully illustrated, rich with regional history, and fantastic recipes. I was so excited to to dive into this book and try something, it was difficult to narrow down the choices. Finally, after reading it twice--like a great novel--one recipe kept jumping out at me...Gnocchi, little dumplings. I've heard of it. I've been told about it. Friends have gushed over the sublime texture and subtle flavor. I've also heard that it's difficult to make. I've never had it...until now. I couldn't wait to jump right in and tackle this elusive pasta. Now, typically, pasta ranks about 4th on my list of starches. Potatoes and bread vie for first place followed by rice and then pasta. So, pasta made of potatoes--I was all over it.

Not knowing how the finished product was supposed to turn out, I relied heavily on the descriptive narratives of my friends: light, "fluffy", won't stick to your mouth. Okay...where do I go with THAT? Only one answer...onward. I served mine with a sage butter and parmesian cheese, but that seemed a little light for the pasta. Next time, a tomato based sauce.

Gnocchi di Patate

3 lbs mealy potatoes (I used Russets)
2 eggs
Salt
2 1/2 cups flour

Boil the potatoes in their skins until soft. Drain, leave until cool enough to handle, then peel and mash (I used a food mill with a medium sized disc). Mix in the eggs and salt and then add the flour and knead int a dough.

Divide the potato mixture into 10 equally-sized portions and roll each portio into long strings as wide as your thumb. Cut up the dough string into pieces of about 1" in length and dust with flour. Using the back of a fork, pattern the pieces with the typical ribbed gnocchi design.

Cook the gnocchi in moderately sized portions in boiling salted water.  They are done when they rise to the surface. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and drain well.  Serve with sage butter or a tomato or meat sauce.

Tip: The amount of flour needed depends on the kind of potato used. New potatoes are unsuitable for gnocchi, as they absorb far more flour than older varieties.

Cardamom Bread/Braid

Every year, for as long as I have a memory, Christmas just wasn't Christmas without Cardamom Braid. My mom, grandmother, and aunts all made it. It was part of Christmas morning breakfast--with hot chocolate when I was young and coffee as I got older--and always sliced thick and spread with butter. Anything left, and it wasn't usually much, was eaten quickly the same day or shortly after.  The story was always told of how my great-great grandmother would crack open the white cardamom pods and then crush the seeds with the brass mortar and pestle that I still use today. Although I don't buy the full pods, I get the decorted cardamom, I often crush the seeds until the aroma is released and they are small enough as to not overpower a bite.  If I really want a release of flavor, though, I'll use a coffee grinder and get a finer powder to flavor my bread. Any leftover cardamom is then used in a fresh pot of coffee...placed in with the coffee grounds for a truly decadent treat.

If you aren't familiar with cardamom, be warned that it is an expensive spice to become addicted to; a small jar in the grocery store can go for $10 and up. The flavor is distinct--a cross between a pepper and a nutmeg with a hint of sweetness. It is used in many Scandinavian recipes and is an essential ingredient in many curries and other Indian dishes. I find the best price for decorted cardamom from a little shop in Riverside, CA called DragonMarsh. They carry a wide selection of herbs/spices and their quality is great. Order on line at http://www.dragonmarsh.com/.

Now, for the good part...

Cardamom Braid/Bread
2 large loaves or 4 small loaves

1 c milk or cream, scalded
2 pkgs or 1 TBSP dry yeast
1/4 c warm water
1/2 c butter
1/3 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1-2 tsp cardamom
Dash fresh nutmeg
5 c all purpose flour (+/- depending on the weather)

Soften the yeast in the warm water with just a pinch of sugar to proof. Set aside.

Scald the milk with the cardamom and nutmeg.

Combine the butter, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour the milk over all. When lukewarm, add 1 cup of flour and beat til smooth. Add the yeast.

Add 1/2 of the flour and mix until smooth. Add the egg. Continue to add the rest of the flour unti the dough is soft and no longer sticky.

Turn on to a floured surface and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Knead for 3-5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray or coat lightly with oil. Place the dough in the bowl oil lightly. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise until double in size. Repeat.

After the second rise, divide dough in half. Divide each half into thirds and roll into long ropes, about the length of your baking sheet. Criss-cross the ropes in the center and braid each side, starting from the middle. Secure the ends by pinching together and tucking them under.

Place the completed braid on a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and let rise a third time.

Preheat oven to 375*. Before baking, brush each loaf with an egg wash and sprinkle generously with raw sugar, colored sugar, or cinnamon-sugar (your preference--they are all good!). Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from pan immediately. Try to let the loves cool a bit before devouring!

The Best Gift of All

The holiday season has passed by once again and I am amazed at how quickly it went. The best part of the season is not the gifts, the shopping, or the craziness. It's the extra time that is spent with family and friends. Even though I try to make time for it throughout the year, the days on the calendar between Halloween and New Year just seem a little more special. When we have the opportunity to spend one of our most valued commodities, time, with those we love, it makes the world a better place. At the center of most of these gatherings is food. Food brings us together and unites us in a way that rivals all others. Be it sweet or savory, large or small, the act of partaking in eating together breaks down barriers, evens the playing field, and allows everyone to be at peace, if only for a little while. This is what drives me. This is what makes me yearn for November 1. This is also what makes me a little sad on January 2. The lights and decorations get put away for another year; the routine of work and life come back into focus; the "holiday spirit" is tucked neatly into a drawer or closet or other safe haven to be forgotten until it is time again to take it out for display.

Perhaps this is why I love to have people over throughout the year. Barbeques, pot lucks, cookie swaps, or girls night--I look forward to all of these celebrations and more with the same anticipation of a child waiting for Santa to visit. I shop and prepare, hoping beyond hope that every recipe--even the tried and true--come out just perfect; waiting for the best gift of all...the happy sounds of joy at every taste. I could go without a single store bought gift if I am surrounded by the people I love and get to hear their murmors of happiness. This for me is the ultimate moment of the holiday season...and how I like to celebrate the holidays all year long.

As part of the celebratory festivities, I was fortutate enought to have the time to make rich dark chocolate fudge, spiced walnuts, light and tender potato gnocchi, beef braised in beer and onions, and cardamom bread in two varieties. While the recipe for the beef can be found in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I will post the others within the next few days. My heart and home has been filled with those I hold most dear, so my computer has been a distant memory. Like the decorations and the songs, those days must be put away for a spell and life must return to "normal".

I hope you had a wonderful end to 2009, filled with memories of loved ones brought close.

SPICED CANDIED WALNUTS

I hate walnuts. I find them to taste bitter and the texture weird. However, I found this recipe from Michael Chiarello and will eat these by the handful. I love the crunch and the combination of sweet and spicy with a hint of salty. They are great to snack on alone or toss on a salad with some fresh pomegranite and bleu cheese. Try them. Bring them to a holiday get-together--they are easy and quick to make and they just might replace the chips for holiday snacking!



Spiced Candied Walnuts

Peanut or canola oil
4 cups walnut halves
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat about 1-inch of oil to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add walnuts and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain and transfer nuts to a medium bowl. While nuts are still hot and slightly wet, add confectioners' sugar and toss to coat nuts. Stir and toss until all the sugar has melted into the nuts; if bits of un-melted sugar remain on the nuts, they will not fry properly.

Stir the nuts again before frying. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer a few nuts to the hot oil, allowing the foam to subside before adding another spoonful. (Otherwise, the oil could foam over and burn you.) Fry in small batches until the nuts are medium brown, about 45 seconds; be careful not to overcook. Scatter on an unlined baking sheet to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, stir together cayenne, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and pepper.

While the nuts are still warm, transfer them to a bowl and sprinkle evenly with about half of the spice mix. Toss well to distribute the spices and then taste a nut. Add more spice mix, to taste, and toss well after each addition. When cool, pack in an airtight jar. They will keep at room temperature for at least 2 weeks.

Just an Update

It's been about a month since my last post and really, I don't know what happened to the time. Christmas is nearly here and I've a lot of recipes to share. So, within the next few days, I hope to have a plethera of yummy treats posted for your holiday extravaganzas. Be sure to check back soon...there's lots more to come!
Thanks for your patience!

Thanksgiving Specialty

I've never liked the canned cranberry glop that is available every Thanksgiving. Won't eat it, won't use it in "something else", won't even smell it. It grosses me out. So, several years ago I started watching the Food Network to get some ideas for cranberry sauce.  I wound up making my own creation with all the parts, pieces, and flavors that I love. This is the result. I have taken it to many events, used it in baked goods, and even poured it over ice cream for a quick, festive dessert. People who tell me they don't like cranberry sauce will ask for the recipe. So, here it is. I hope you enjoy it!

Debbie’s Cranberry-Apple Sauce
6 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 ½ c Sugar
1 ½ c Lite Cranberry Juice (or Cran Raspberry Juice)
½ c Orange Juice
2 Gala or Fuji Apples, peeled & cubed (small bites)
1 generous TBSP Balsamic Vinegar (or to taste)
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Dash Salt
1 TBSP unsalted butter

Cook cranberries, juice, apples, sugar, lemon juice, and vinegar according to package. Let cook until cranberries start to pop and mixture thickens. Add salt and butter. Once sauce begins to cool, add vanilla.

Serve cold as a side dish.

Serving suggestions: side dish, ice cream topping, pie filling, cake filling.
Makes: A lot

French Onion Soup

Sometimes, I need to throw sensibility to the wind and make something that I want as opposed to something the girls want. Last night was one of those nights.  I've been craving French Onion Soup and I know the girls don't like it. For young ones, they have a pretty sophisticated palette, but this surpasses even them. So, with leftover spaghetti in the microwave, I set on the task of making a dinner just for my own pleasure...and it was worth every tasty spoonful.

French Onion Soup

2 large onions
3 TBSP unsalted butter
1 TBSP fresh Oregano
1/2 TBSP fresh Rosemary
Fresh ground pepper
1/2 c red wine
4 cups beef stock

Toasted French Bread slices
Swiss cheese

Slice the onions into thin slices. Cook over medium heat in a medium sized saute pan with butter until carmelized, about 15-20 minutes. During the last few minutes, add garlic and pepper.
Add herbs, beef stock, and wine. Cook until slightly reduced.

To serve:
Ladle soup into an oven proof bowl. Top with toasted bread and cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly. Enjoy with some of that wine!

Corn Bread

We love cold weather. In our house, it's the perfect excuse for all those yummy comfort foods that are only edible once the thermometer drops into double digits again. After way too many months of scorching heat, we are only too willing to put on long pants, long sleeve shirts, and fire up the oven & stove.  Over the weekend, I was fortunate enough to spend a day baking with my friend Sylwia. We had a great time making pies and cookies, which I'm sure she will post on her blog (see the link to Unsifted). 

Not wanting to dull the momentum, I made an impromptu batch of chili and cornbread for dinner on Sunday. This is my go-to recipe for cornbread since it is easy and quick.  I love the folks at King Arthur Flour Co for their fantastic 200th Anniversary Cookbook as this is one of many recipes I use often.  I've used my cookbook so much that I had to have it re-covered to keep it from falling apart.

Cornbread
3/4 c cornmeal
1 C All purpose flour
1/3 C Sugar
1 TBSP Baking Powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 C milk
1 egg, well beaten
2 TBSP butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 425*
Mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, egg and butter and stir just to blend.
Pour the batter into a greased, 8" square baking pan. Bake about 20 minutes. Remove from pan quickly to preserve the crispy crust.

Halloween Treats

Yes, I know it's now the middle of November. If I had my act together, I would have posted this sometime arount the 29th of October...but, my act is nowhere to be found. It went AWOL on me sometime ago and I've been too busy to look for it.  So, here it is, November, a week and a half before one of the giant food fests of America, and I'm posting a Halloween recipe.  Ok, so it's not specifically for Halloween, but the picture will make you think so.

Our company has an annual party for Halloween and it is THE event of the year. We have fierce competition amongst the departments for best costumes, best group areas, best chili, best desert, etc. There are activities for the kids that go way beyond trick or treating. This year, we had the bounce house (great for working off all that sugar from trick or treating), horse & pony rides, and face painting. There was a couple of photo ops including a "put your face here" for Thing 1 & Thing 2 with the Cat in the Hat. It was great. My girls start asking about sometime in the middle of April--wanting to know what we will be dressing up as, how will we decorate, and can they help.  We all love it.

This year, I decided to enter the new competition category of Best Dessert. I made a haunted pumpkin patch. The pumpkins and ghosts were Cake Pops (thank you, Bakerella) and the patch of dirt was an oreo cheesecake.  The only change I made to Bakerella's cake pops was to drape the pops with a circle of fondant to make the sheet-ghosts. The effect was great.  Happily, I can say I won 1st place!  All I can say, is the competition gets more fierce every year, so I better start thinking about it sometime in January!

Oreo Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/2 rows of Oreo Cookies, crushed
2-3 TBSP melted butter

Press the mixture together in a lightly greased 9" springform pan. Bake for about 12-15 minutes at 350*. Set aside to cool.

Filling:
40 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 c sugar
3 TBSP flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
5 eggs + 2 egg yolks
1/4 c heavy cream
1 row Oreo Cookies, crushed

Preheat oven to 450*.

In a large mixer bowl, blend cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla at high speed. Beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time on low speed, until smooth, scraping down the sides occassionally. Beat in cream. Fold in cookies.  Pour into  pan.

Bake for 10 minutes. Lower oven to 250*. Bake an additional 1 hr. Center will be a little jiggly, but dull. Do NOT overbake.

Let cool in the refrigerator. At this point, you can store the cheesecake in the refrigerator uncovered for up to 3 days.

Topping:
Ganache
Fresh Whipped Cream
Crushed Oreos--The rest of the package
Assorted Chocolate pieces--jimmies, shaved chocolate, etc.

Spread the ganache over cold cheesecak and let set. Spread whipped cream on top of the ganache. Sprinkle the cookies over the top and press lightly. Fill in with assorted chocolate pieces.
Allow to sit out after removing from the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

Ganache:
12 oz. dark chocolate
1 1/2 c heavy cream
3 TBSP Sugar or Corn Syrup
3 TBSP Butter
Dash Vanilla

Bring cream, butter, and sugar to a boil, stirring often. Pour over chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes. Stir gently until smooth. Add vanilla & stir. Be careful not to incorporate air into ganache. When cool, pour over cake or use cold for truffles.

Violent Cooking

I’ve been under a lot of stress lately and all signs point to that stress continuing for the foreseeable future. Now there are many ways that I could choose to deal with said stressors…the usual remedies include getting friendly with my wine supply, exercising, becoming a hermit, becoming delusional, eating more, eating less, retail therapy, yoga—ok, maybe not yoga—that takes a level of patience I seem to lack. So, what is my therapy for stress? Cooking. Baking. Playing in the kitchen. I play A LOT. I do a lot of visualization to go along with it. What kind of visualization? Well, I visualize being a psychopath with violent urges that cannot be released in any other “conventional” ways. If you think about it, cooking is quite violent. Let me explain…



If you read any recipe, you will start to see the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster horror flick. Yes, you read correctly. Let’s take some simple, common, mandatory procedures in example. You need to know how to chop, dice, mince, smash, pulverize, puree, whip, and slice. I have recipes that call for throwing raw meat after squishing it with breadcrumbs and egg—now that is particularly therapeutic! Steam, broil, boil, simmer, sauté, fry, grill, bake, and bar-b-que…When it’s done, plunge it in an ice bath, wrap it tightly removing all air, put it in the freezer …the list goes on.


I enjoy taking my frustrations out on unsuspecting vegetables… and meat. Ripping off the skin and pounding a chicken breast…ahh, now that’s happiness. Chopping onions with abandon…who would’ve imagined that wielding a sharp instrument while crying could be so good for the soul and not have to worry about jail time to go with it? In fact, the better you become at violence directed toward food, the more people want you to be violent…I mean, cook. I imagine chefs to be very happy people even with their stressful and demanding jobs.


It surprises me when some people say they just can’t cook at the end of a very trying day. They are too wound up to focus; too tightly strung to pull anything together. I say, hey, make a pot of soup! It really doesn’t require A LOT of thought (ok, it requires SOME thought, but you have a lot of leeway), and you get to utilize a lot of violent actions. If you make too much, do what they do in the movies…freeze it (insert evil and menacing laugh here).


Baking is an especially good way to relieve stress. Bread is particularly therapeutic. How often do you get to punch something, more than once, and get praised for it? Hey, it says so in the directions “let rise til double in size. Punch down.” Just visualize that person in your life that is an overinflated blowhard and punch him/her down. Wait a couple of hours…and do it again. Then bake ‘em! Happiness. Pure happiness. At the end of it all, slather a big slice of heaven with butter and eat. You might even want to dunk that blowhard, I mean bread slice, in a cup of really hot beverage before the proverbial “bite me” moment. Smile. Smile some more.


Perhaps this is part of the reason I have an insane collection of cookbooks. I start reading them and get caught up in the directions. Sure, the pictures are a huge draw, but I read cookbooks like novels. I can see myself making certain recipes. Sometimes, just reading the directions make me feel better. At the end of the day, no one gets hurt, I feel better, and everybody wins.


I feel better already.

Some Past Treats

I do a lot of baking. In fact, it is pretty much a form of therapy. I get lost in the process and the challenge of coming up with something "just right" that can't be found anywhere else. Sure, I get inspiration from many places, but I want each result to be special.

Lately, I've had several people ask for a montage of some of the creations I've produced.  So, without any recipes attached for this post, here is a small photo album of some of my favorites...I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed creating them.

Girls' Night

One of the things I love most is girls night. As often as can be arranged, with everyone's crazy schedule and such, a group of my girlfriends gather up their favorite snack, their foot-soaker, and their gossip and head over to my place to get together and "dish" over a glass or three of wine and an all-out chick flick. We keep it "no icky boys allowed" which gives boyfriends, husbands, or significant others' a night without us as well.


My little girls get into it, too. They invite their friends, eat pizza, have popcorn and a movie in their room and "entertain" each other with silly stories, funny songs, and crazy dancing. Basically, it's a fun night for all.

Our latest girls night was last Saturday. Long overdue, it was the perfect way to let off some steam and just be "girly". Since the goal is to keep it simple, our "nutritious" dinner consisted of veggies, hummus, guacamole, chips, salsa, monkey bread, and pumpkin mousse with white chocolate whipped cream. Ok, not so nutritious...but there WERE veggies involved, so yeah, I'll go with that...

My contribution was the pumpkin mousse which was hard to put down, but, light enough to be filling once we finally stopped eating!

Pumpkin Mousse with White Chocolate Whipped Cream



Prep Time: 1 hours, 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup plus 2 cups chilled heavy cream
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 ounces white chocolate, shaved
Sweetened whipped cream

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, stir together the pumpkin, 1 cup heavy cream, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Chill for at least 1 hour before preparing the mousse.

Whip the remaining 2 cups chilled cream into peaks. Gently stir ½ cup of the chilled pumpkin mixture into the whipped cream. Once the ½ cup of pumpkin is almost fully incorporated into the cream, fold in the remaining pumpkin.

Serve it in baked puff pastry shells. Top with sweetened whipped cream with white chocolate chunks folded in and then sprinkle additional white chocolate over the top.

It is divine!

Makes 8 servings.