I used to think I didn't like waffles very much. I resisted trying this recipe because I thought, "How good can waffles possibly be?" Turns out, REALLY good.
Buttermilk Waffles
from America's Test Kitchen
Makes 3 to 4 depending on size of waffle iron
(I usually quadruple the recipe so there are a few leftovers for quick before-school breakfasts in the freezer)
The secret to great waffles is a thick batter, so don't expect a pourable batter. The optional dash of cornmeal adds crunch to the finished waffle (I've never tried it). Make toaster waffles out of leftover batter - undercook the waffles a bit, cool them on a wire rack, wrap them in plastic wrap, and freeze. Then pop them in the toaster as you like for a quick breakfast.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp cornmeal (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg, separated
7/8 cup buttermilk (AKA 2 Tbsp short of a cup)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
VARIATION: Almost As Good As Buttermilk Waffles
If you're out of buttermilk, try this sweet-milk variation. By making your own baking powder (using baking soda and cream of tartar) and by cutting back on the quantity of milk, you can make a thick, quite respectable batter. The result is a waffle with a crisp crust and moist interior. Follow the recipe below, adding 1/2 tsp cream of tartar to the dry ingredients and substituting a scant 3/4 cup milk for buttermilk.
1. Heat waffle iron. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg yolk with the buttermilk and butter.
2. Beat the egg white until it just holds a 2-inch peak.
3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients in a thin steady stream while mixing gently with a rubber spatula. (Do not add liquid faster than you can incorporate it into the batter.) Toward the end of mixing, use a folding motion to incorporate the ingredients. Gently fold the egg white into the batter.
4. Spread an appropriate amount of batter onto the hot waffle iron. Following the manufacturer's instructions, cook the waffle until golden brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately. (In a pinch, you can keep waffles warm on a wire rack in a 200-degree oven for up to 5 minutes.)
Showing posts with label Gretchen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gretchen. Show all posts
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Cake
This is SO GOOD. Like what chocolate cheesecake should be. Like eating a chocolate truffle in cake form. Just make sure you have people to share this with because it's definitely rich.
Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Cake
from America's Test Kitchen
Makes one 9 inch cake, serving 12 to 16
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, plus 1 tsp softened butter for greasing pan
flour for dusting pan
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (This recipe was supposedly design with Hershey's Special Dark in mind - they say other bittersweet chocolates will work, but because the amounts of sugar and cocoa butter differ from brand to brand, they will produce cakes with slightly different textures and flavors. I used a combination of some random bars I had lying around with chocolate chips and Baker's and I thought it turned out really well. Chocolate chips are supposedly not a good direct substitution due to their relatively low fat content.)
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 Tbsp vanilla
8 large eggs, separated
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar, crumbled with fingers to remove lumps (Note: When crumbling brown sugar to remove lumps, make sure that your fingers are clean and grease free; any residual fat from butter or chocolate might hinder the whipping of the whites.)
1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter the sides of a 9 inch springform pan; flour the sides and tap out the excess. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment or waxed paper round. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a large sheet of foil.
2. Melt 12 tablespoons butter and the chocolates in a large bowl over a large saucepan containing about 2 quarts barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate mixture is smooth. Cool the mixture slightly, then whisk in the vanilla and egg yolks. Set the chocolate mixture aside, reserving the hot water, covered, in the saucepan.
3. In the clean bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds; add half of the crumbled brown sugar, beat at high speed until combined, about 30 seconds, then add the remaining brown sugar and continue to beat at high speed until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, about 2 minutes longer. Using a whisk, stir about one third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites in 2 additions, using the whisk. Gently scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan, set the springform pan in a large roasting pan, then pour the hot water from the saucepan into the roasting pan to a depth of 1 inch. Carefully slide the roasting pan into the oven; bake until the cake has risen, is firm around the edges, the center has just set, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers about 170 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes.
4. Remove the springform pan from the water bath, discard the foil, and cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a thin-bladed paring knife between the sides of the pan and cake to loosen; cool the cake in the springform pan on a wire rack until barely warm, about 3 hours, then wrap the pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 8 hours. (The cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
5. To unmold the cake, remove the sides of the pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between the cake and pan bottom to loosen, then invert the cake onto a large plate, peel off the parchment, and re-invert onto a serving platter. To serve, use a sharp, thin-bladed knife, dipping the knife in a pitcher of hot water and wiping the blade before each cut. (If you like, dust the cake with confectioners' sugar just before serving or top slices with a dollop of lightly sweetened whippped cream. To make slicing easier, freeze the cake for 30 minutes just before serving.)
Variation: Chocolate-Orange Mousse Cake
Follow the recipe for Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Cake, reducing the vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon and adding 1 tablespoon orange liqueur and 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest to the chocolate mixture along with the vanilla and egg yolks.
Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Cake
from America's Test Kitchen
Makes one 9 inch cake, serving 12 to 16
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, plus 1 tsp softened butter for greasing pan
flour for dusting pan
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (This recipe was supposedly design with Hershey's Special Dark in mind - they say other bittersweet chocolates will work, but because the amounts of sugar and cocoa butter differ from brand to brand, they will produce cakes with slightly different textures and flavors. I used a combination of some random bars I had lying around with chocolate chips and Baker's and I thought it turned out really well. Chocolate chips are supposedly not a good direct substitution due to their relatively low fat content.)
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 Tbsp vanilla
8 large eggs, separated
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar, crumbled with fingers to remove lumps (Note: When crumbling brown sugar to remove lumps, make sure that your fingers are clean and grease free; any residual fat from butter or chocolate might hinder the whipping of the whites.)
1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter the sides of a 9 inch springform pan; flour the sides and tap out the excess. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment or waxed paper round. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a large sheet of foil.
2. Melt 12 tablespoons butter and the chocolates in a large bowl over a large saucepan containing about 2 quarts barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate mixture is smooth. Cool the mixture slightly, then whisk in the vanilla and egg yolks. Set the chocolate mixture aside, reserving the hot water, covered, in the saucepan.
3. In the clean bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds; add half of the crumbled brown sugar, beat at high speed until combined, about 30 seconds, then add the remaining brown sugar and continue to beat at high speed until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, about 2 minutes longer. Using a whisk, stir about one third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites in 2 additions, using the whisk. Gently scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan, set the springform pan in a large roasting pan, then pour the hot water from the saucepan into the roasting pan to a depth of 1 inch. Carefully slide the roasting pan into the oven; bake until the cake has risen, is firm around the edges, the center has just set, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers about 170 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes.
4. Remove the springform pan from the water bath, discard the foil, and cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a thin-bladed paring knife between the sides of the pan and cake to loosen; cool the cake in the springform pan on a wire rack until barely warm, about 3 hours, then wrap the pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 8 hours. (The cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
5. To unmold the cake, remove the sides of the pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between the cake and pan bottom to loosen, then invert the cake onto a large plate, peel off the parchment, and re-invert onto a serving platter. To serve, use a sharp, thin-bladed knife, dipping the knife in a pitcher of hot water and wiping the blade before each cut. (If you like, dust the cake with confectioners' sugar just before serving or top slices with a dollop of lightly sweetened whippped cream. To make slicing easier, freeze the cake for 30 minutes just before serving.)
Variation: Chocolate-Orange Mousse Cake
Follow the recipe for Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Cake, reducing the vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon and adding 1 tablespoon orange liqueur and 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest to the chocolate mixture along with the vanilla and egg yolks.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Thick and Chewy Double (or Triple) Chocolate Cookies
If you liked those brownies I posted recently, you will love these. I might even like these better than the brownies. I am all about the decadent desserts lately, huh? You'd think I was pregnant or something...
This is another one from my America's Test Kitchen cookbook.
This makes about 3.5 dozen cookies (or 4 dozen if you add the chocolate chips)
(I often half the recipe because even just one of these cookies seriously mean business)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I have used about 2 2/3 cups chocolate chips when I was out of bar chocolate, but bar chocolates have a better fat content for this application)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder (For SOME reason, I don't have any of this in my home ;) I skipped it.)
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Triple chocolate option (but who WOULDN'T want to add this??? seriously, not "optional" if you ask me): 12 ounces (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
1. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water, stirring once or twice, until smooth; remove from heat OR to melt in microwave, heat at 50% power for 2 minutes, stir, then continue heating at 50% power for 1 more minute and then if not completely melted, heat an additional 30 to 45 seconds at 50% power. Beat the eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork, sprinkle the coffee powder over to dissolve (if using), and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in the sugars until combined, about 45 seconds; the mixture will look granular. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overbeat. If using chocolate chips (YES, YES), use a wooden spoon to stir in now. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until consistency is scoopable and fudgelike, about 30 minutes. (Unless it is summer in Texas, in which case, about never. This will just be a very messy endeavor, but it's worth it!)
4. Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. (Unless your other two cookie sheets are dirty and you're too lazy to wash them. Then just use one. The benefit of using just one sheet is that you're spared moving the sheets around part way through baking and you have more chances to fine tune your baking time. If you half the recipe like I did, two sheets mean they all cook at once, so if you decide you took them out a touch too soon, oh well. No second chance for you! But one sheet means second chances. I suppose the down side is that you spend more time with your oven heating up your house. Can you tell I'm not handling the heat well lately?) Leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each ball, scoop the dough onto the parchment-lined cookie sheets with a 1 3/4 inch spring-loaded ice cream scoop (I don't have this size scoop, so I just estimate a really really heaping scoop with my regular cookie dough scoop. Good luck.)
5. Bake, reversing the position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10 minutes. (Resist the urge to bake the cookies longer than indicated; they may appear underbaked at first but will firm up as they cool.) Cool the cookies on the sheets about 10 minutes, slide the parchment with the cookies onto a wire rack, and cool to room temperature; remove with a wide metal spatula (or my greedy, greedy hands were all I needed).
This is another one from my America's Test Kitchen cookbook.
This makes about 3.5 dozen cookies (or 4 dozen if you add the chocolate chips)
(I often half the recipe because even just one of these cookies seriously mean business)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I have used about 2 2/3 cups chocolate chips when I was out of bar chocolate, but bar chocolates have a better fat content for this application)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder (For SOME reason, I don't have any of this in my home ;) I skipped it.)
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Triple chocolate option (but who WOULDN'T want to add this??? seriously, not "optional" if you ask me): 12 ounces (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
1. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water, stirring once or twice, until smooth; remove from heat OR to melt in microwave, heat at 50% power for 2 minutes, stir, then continue heating at 50% power for 1 more minute and then if not completely melted, heat an additional 30 to 45 seconds at 50% power. Beat the eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork, sprinkle the coffee powder over to dissolve (if using), and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in the sugars until combined, about 45 seconds; the mixture will look granular. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overbeat. If using chocolate chips (YES, YES), use a wooden spoon to stir in now. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until consistency is scoopable and fudgelike, about 30 minutes. (Unless it is summer in Texas, in which case, about never. This will just be a very messy endeavor, but it's worth it!)
4. Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. (Unless your other two cookie sheets are dirty and you're too lazy to wash them. Then just use one. The benefit of using just one sheet is that you're spared moving the sheets around part way through baking and you have more chances to fine tune your baking time. If you half the recipe like I did, two sheets mean they all cook at once, so if you decide you took them out a touch too soon, oh well. No second chance for you! But one sheet means second chances. I suppose the down side is that you spend more time with your oven heating up your house. Can you tell I'm not handling the heat well lately?) Leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each ball, scoop the dough onto the parchment-lined cookie sheets with a 1 3/4 inch spring-loaded ice cream scoop (I don't have this size scoop, so I just estimate a really really heaping scoop with my regular cookie dough scoop. Good luck.)
5. Bake, reversing the position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10 minutes. (Resist the urge to bake the cookies longer than indicated; they may appear underbaked at first but will firm up as they cool.) Cool the cookies on the sheets about 10 minutes, slide the parchment with the cookies onto a wire rack, and cool to room temperature; remove with a wide metal spatula (or my greedy, greedy hands were all I needed).
Friday, May 15, 2009
Whole-Wheat Banana-Strawberry Muffins
Well, would you look at that. I made something that wasn't an America's Test Kitchen recipe!
Mimi's Giant Whole-Wheat Banana-Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients:
Mimi's Giant Whole-Wheat Banana-Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 bananas, mashed
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (some reviewers said the recipe was too cinnamon-y, so I halved this since sometimes I find too much cinnamon flavor distracting)
- 1 cup frozen sliced strawberries (I used the fresh strawberries I had going bad on my counter, which was the inspiration to try this recipe. I cut them into fairly small chunks - like half inch-ish cubes - per suggestions of some reviewers.)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 large muffin cups, or line with paper liners. (I used regular sized muffin cups and filled them pretty much all the way. They don't rise a ton. Ended up with 16 muffins total.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, applesauce, oil, brown sugar, vanilla and bananas. Combine the flour, baking soda and cinnamon; Stir into the banana mixture until moistened. Stir in the strawberries until evenly distributed. Spoon batter into muffin cups until completely filled.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when pressed lightly. Cool before removing from the muffin tins.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Fudgy Triple-Chocolate Brownies
These are the best brownies I've ever had. I'm not exaggerating. Moist and fudgy without being underdone and without the chemically taste and slightly weird texture of box mix (bleh). The recipe is, of course, from America's Test Kitchen. Don't be scared off by the amount of text below. They come together fast and easy.
Makes 64 1-inch square brownies. These brownies are very rich, so the recipe says to cut them into small squares for serving. (I am a glutton, so I cut them into more like 1.5-inch squares and got more like 30-40 brownies out of the batch)
Either Dutch processed or natural cocoa works well in this recipe. (I used my cheaper stuff to save money and they were still incredible!)
Ingredients:
5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I was out of this and still wanted to make these, so I used a little less than 1 cup of chocolate chips. Chocolate chips tend to have a lower fat content to help them maintain their shape, so they're less ideal than true baking chocolates, but the recipe seemed to turn out more than fine.)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into quarters
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Directions:
Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Fold two 16 inch pieces of foil lengthwise to measure 7 inches wide. Fit one sheet in the bottom of the greased pan, pushing it into the corners and up the sides of the pan (overhang will help in removal of baked brownies). Fit the second sheet in the pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray. (Note: I forgot to spray the pan first, so I only sprayed the foil. No negative effects noticed and less clean up! YAY! Plus I was lazy and just fit one layer of my extra wide heavy duty foil into the pan rather than making the 2 perpendicular strips. Also seemed to work just fine.)
In a medium heatproof bowl set over pan of almost-simmering water, melt the chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth. Whisk in the cocoa until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture; then stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spread into corners and level surface with a rubber spatula; bake until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it, 35-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Remove the brownies from the pan using the foil handles and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch (or more gluttonous like me) squares. (Do not cut the brownies until ready to serve; brownies can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 5 days.) (But you know, I was a rebel and cut them up last night anyway and the taste today is still TO DIE FOR.)
Makes 64 1-inch square brownies. These brownies are very rich, so the recipe says to cut them into small squares for serving. (I am a glutton, so I cut them into more like 1.5-inch squares and got more like 30-40 brownies out of the batch)
Either Dutch processed or natural cocoa works well in this recipe. (I used my cheaper stuff to save money and they were still incredible!)
Ingredients:
5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I was out of this and still wanted to make these, so I used a little less than 1 cup of chocolate chips. Chocolate chips tend to have a lower fat content to help them maintain their shape, so they're less ideal than true baking chocolates, but the recipe seemed to turn out more than fine.)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into quarters
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Directions:
Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Fold two 16 inch pieces of foil lengthwise to measure 7 inches wide. Fit one sheet in the bottom of the greased pan, pushing it into the corners and up the sides of the pan (overhang will help in removal of baked brownies). Fit the second sheet in the pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray. (Note: I forgot to spray the pan first, so I only sprayed the foil. No negative effects noticed and less clean up! YAY! Plus I was lazy and just fit one layer of my extra wide heavy duty foil into the pan rather than making the 2 perpendicular strips. Also seemed to work just fine.)
In a medium heatproof bowl set over pan of almost-simmering water, melt the chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth. Whisk in the cocoa until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture; then stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spread into corners and level surface with a rubber spatula; bake until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it, 35-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Remove the brownies from the pan using the foil handles and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch (or more gluttonous like me) squares. (Do not cut the brownies until ready to serve; brownies can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 5 days.) (But you know, I was a rebel and cut them up last night anyway and the taste today is still TO DIE FOR.)
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Berry Torte
Kristi asked about this one, so here it is:
(So a REAL torte is suppose to use little or no actual flour, but oh well.) This looks fancy, but is SUPER easy and tasty.
Berry Torte
1 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 pint berries (Any kind works but they should be reasonably bite-sized. I usually use blueberries or blackberries. They can be fresh or frozen and there's no need to thaw.)
dash salt
lemon juice
Cream 1 cup sugar and butter. Mix in flour, baking powder, dash of salt, 2 eggs, and the almond extract. Place into a greased and floured 9" spring form pan. Cover entire top surface of batter with berries. Sprinkle some sugar and lemon juice on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove spring form and serve warm or cooled.
May be frozen after a quick cooling. Defrost then reheat for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
(So a REAL torte is suppose to use little or no actual flour, but oh well.) This looks fancy, but is SUPER easy and tasty.
Berry Torte
1 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 pint berries (Any kind works but they should be reasonably bite-sized. I usually use blueberries or blackberries. They can be fresh or frozen and there's no need to thaw.)
dash salt
lemon juice
Cream 1 cup sugar and butter. Mix in flour, baking powder, dash of salt, 2 eggs, and the almond extract. Place into a greased and floured 9" spring form pan. Cover entire top surface of batter with berries. Sprinkle some sugar and lemon juice on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove spring form and serve warm or cooled.
May be frozen after a quick cooling. Defrost then reheat for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
Rich, but absolutely delicious. Got it from my one of my America's Test Kitchen cookbooks. Of course.
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
Serves 4 to 6
Add regular table salt to the pasta cooking water, but use sea salt flakes, if you can find them, to season the dish. We like the full flavor they bring to the carbonara. Note that while either table salt or seas salt can be used when seasoning in step 3, they are not used in equal amounts.
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lb bacon (6 to 8 slices), slices halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 large eggs
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (about 3/4 ounce)
3 small cloves garlic, minced to paste or pressed through garlic press
1 lb spaghetti (I used capellini, because isn't it always better?)
salt and ground black pepper
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set heatproof serving bowl on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in large stockpot.
2. While water is heating, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Add wine and simmer until alcohol aroma has cooked off and wine is slightly reduced, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Beat eggs, cheeses, and garlic together with fork in small bowl; set aside.
3. When water comes to a boil, add pasta and 1 tablespoon table salt; stir to separate pasta. Cook until al dente; reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta for about 5 seconds, leaving pasta slightly wet. Transfer drained pasta to warm serving bowl; if pasta appears dry, add some reserved cooking water and toss to moisten. Immediately pour egg mixture over hot pasta, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes or 3/4 teaspoon table salt; toss well to combine. Pour bacon mixture over pasta, season generously with black pepper, and toss well to combine. Serve immediately. Sit back and enjoy the sensation of your arteries clogging ;)
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
Serves 4 to 6
Add regular table salt to the pasta cooking water, but use sea salt flakes, if you can find them, to season the dish. We like the full flavor they bring to the carbonara. Note that while either table salt or seas salt can be used when seasoning in step 3, they are not used in equal amounts.
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lb bacon (6 to 8 slices), slices halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 large eggs
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (about 3/4 ounce)
3 small cloves garlic, minced to paste or pressed through garlic press
1 lb spaghetti (I used capellini, because isn't it always better?)
salt and ground black pepper
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set heatproof serving bowl on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in large stockpot.
2. While water is heating, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Add wine and simmer until alcohol aroma has cooked off and wine is slightly reduced, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Beat eggs, cheeses, and garlic together with fork in small bowl; set aside.
3. When water comes to a boil, add pasta and 1 tablespoon table salt; stir to separate pasta. Cook until al dente; reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta for about 5 seconds, leaving pasta slightly wet. Transfer drained pasta to warm serving bowl; if pasta appears dry, add some reserved cooking water and toss to moisten. Immediately pour egg mixture over hot pasta, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes or 3/4 teaspoon table salt; toss well to combine. Pour bacon mixture over pasta, season generously with black pepper, and toss well to combine. Serve immediately. Sit back and enjoy the sensation of your arteries clogging ;)
Chicken Tikka Masala
THIS WAS SO GOOD! I couldn't find the garam masala at my regular grocery store and was too lazy to go to an Indian market, so I used the spice mix they recommended. I thought it was a touch heavy on the cardamom, but just a touch. I also used only the flesh from the chile and thought the dish turned out a tad too mild. Still though, seriously like eating at a good Indian restaurant, but at home. A little naan and it would have been the perfect meal (anyone have a good recipe?). The only way it could have been better is if I could convince M to build me a tandoor oven in the backyard. I'll keep you posted on how that goes...
Chicken Tikka Masala
from America's Test Kitchen
This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.
Serves 4 to 6
1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.
2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.
Chicken Tikka Masala
from America's Test Kitchen
This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.
Serves 4 to 6
Chicken Tikka | |
| 1/2 | teaspoon ground cumin |
| 1/2 | teaspoon ground coriander |
| 1/4 | teaspoon cayenne pepper |
| 1 | teaspoon table salt |
| 2 | pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat |
| 1 | cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above) |
| 2 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
| 2 | medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons) |
| 1 | tablespoon grated fresh ginger |
Masala Sauce | |
| 3 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
| 1 | medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups) |
| 2 | medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons) |
| 2 | teaspoons grated fresh ginger |
| 1 | fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above) |
| 1 | tablespoon tomato paste |
| 1 | tablespoon garam masala (see note above) |
| 1 | (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes |
| 2 | teaspoons sugar |
| 1/2 | teaspoon table salt |
| 2/3 | cup heavy cream |
| 1/4 | cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves |
1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.
2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Shepherd's Pie (Or Technically Cottage Pie)
I call it Shepherd's pie, but technically because I used beef and not lamb, I'm supposed to call it Cottage Pie. Whatever. It's good.
I modified this slightly from an America's Test Kitchen recipe. The original recipe was for diced lamb shoulder chops. I'm sure that'd be delish, but I was too lazy. Can be assembled in either a 9x13 pan or a 10 inch pie plate. Serves 6-8.
FILLING:
1 lb ground lamb (or in my case, ground beef)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, if you need it
1 medium onion, chopped coarse
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup full-bodied red wine (I didn't have this, but I did have some white wine so I used that instead and it was still good)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
TOPPING:
2 lbs large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
1 tsp salt
6 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup whole milk, warmed
2 large egg yolks
ground black pepper
FOR THE FILLING: Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat oil (if needed, I never use it) in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add meat, onions, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is well browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, flour, and tomato paste and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in the stock, wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the thyme and rosemary. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
FOR THE TOPPING: Meanwhile, put the potatoes into a large saucepan; add water to cover and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and continue to cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and return them to the pan set over low heat. Mash potatoes, adding butter as you mash. Stir in the warm milk and then the egg yolks. Season with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste. (I thought it needed even more salt than this.)
TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Stir the peas into the meat mixture and check the seasonings. Pour the meat mixture evenly into a 9x13 baking dish. With a large spoon, place the mashed potatoes over the entire filling. Starting at the sides to ensure a tight seal, use a rubber spatula to smooth out the potatoes and anchor them to the sides of the baking dish. (You should not see any filling.) Bake until the top turns golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.
Pie plate assembly: The filling and potato topping fit nicely in a standard 9x13 baking dish, but for a fancier presentation bake the pie in a 10 inch pie plate. The mashed potato topping rises high above the filling, much like a lemon meringue pie. To do this, place the filling in a 10 inch pie plate and then drop spoonfuls of mashed potatoes around the perimeter of the pie plate. Use a rubber spatula to attach the potatoes to the rim of the pie plate. It's important to seal the edges this way to prevent the filling from bubbling out of the pie plate in the oven. Drop the remaining mashed potatoes in the center of the pie plate and then smooth the top with a spatula. Because the topping rises so high, bake the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any leaks. (You might even want to do that with the 9x13 version - I guess my seals weren't perfect so I got a good bit of dripping in my oven.)
I modified this slightly from an America's Test Kitchen recipe. The original recipe was for diced lamb shoulder chops. I'm sure that'd be delish, but I was too lazy. Can be assembled in either a 9x13 pan or a 10 inch pie plate. Serves 6-8.
FILLING:
1 lb ground lamb (or in my case, ground beef)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, if you need it
1 medium onion, chopped coarse
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup full-bodied red wine (I didn't have this, but I did have some white wine so I used that instead and it was still good)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
TOPPING:
2 lbs large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
1 tsp salt
6 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup whole milk, warmed
2 large egg yolks
ground black pepper
FOR THE FILLING: Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat oil (if needed, I never use it) in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add meat, onions, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is well browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, flour, and tomato paste and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in the stock, wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the thyme and rosemary. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
FOR THE TOPPING: Meanwhile, put the potatoes into a large saucepan; add water to cover and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and continue to cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and return them to the pan set over low heat. Mash potatoes, adding butter as you mash. Stir in the warm milk and then the egg yolks. Season with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste. (I thought it needed even more salt than this.)
TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Stir the peas into the meat mixture and check the seasonings. Pour the meat mixture evenly into a 9x13 baking dish. With a large spoon, place the mashed potatoes over the entire filling. Starting at the sides to ensure a tight seal, use a rubber spatula to smooth out the potatoes and anchor them to the sides of the baking dish. (You should not see any filling.) Bake until the top turns golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.
Pie plate assembly: The filling and potato topping fit nicely in a standard 9x13 baking dish, but for a fancier presentation bake the pie in a 10 inch pie plate. The mashed potato topping rises high above the filling, much like a lemon meringue pie. To do this, place the filling in a 10 inch pie plate and then drop spoonfuls of mashed potatoes around the perimeter of the pie plate. Use a rubber spatula to attach the potatoes to the rim of the pie plate. It's important to seal the edges this way to prevent the filling from bubbling out of the pie plate in the oven. Drop the remaining mashed potatoes in the center of the pie plate and then smooth the top with a spatula. Because the topping rises so high, bake the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any leaks. (You might even want to do that with the 9x13 version - I guess my seals weren't perfect so I got a good bit of dripping in my oven.)
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Hot and Sour Soup
Hot and Sour Soup
from America's Test Kitchen
from America's Test Kitchen
To make slicing the pork chop easier, freeze it for 15 minutes. We prefer the distinctive flavor of Chinese black vinegar; look for it in Asian supermarkets. If you can't find it, a combination of red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar approximates its flavor. This soup is very spicy. For a less spicy soup, omit the chili oil altogether or add only 1 teaspoon. Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer
7 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained
4 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons cornstarch, plus an additional 1 1/2 teaspoons
1 boneless, center-cut, pork loin chop (1/2 inch thick, about 6 ounces), trimmed of fat and cut into 1 inch by 1/8-inch matchsticks
3 tablespoons cold water, plus 1 additional teaspoon
1 large egg
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (Unlike me, you should actually pay attention to the "low-sodium" bit here. I didn't have any so I just used 6 chicken bouillon cubes and it turned out a little too salty. Not inedible, just a bit on the too salty side. Use low-sodium broth, or at least not bouillon cubes, or at a minimum, use fewer bouillon cubes.)
1 cup bamboo shoots (from one 5-ounce can), sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick strips
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 1 cup)
5 tablespoons black Chinese vinegar or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (see note above) (I like my soup more sour than this recipe turned out so I doubled the vinegar. In case it's relevant, I'll tell you I was using the red wine and balsamic since I haven't been to an asian market recently.)
2 teaspoons chili oil (see note above)
1 teaspoon ground white pepper (WHITE pepper really is important I think - black pepper just doesn't taste as asian)
3 medium scallions, sliced thin
See Illustrations Below: Getting the Wisped Egg Just Right
1. Place tofu in pie plate and set heavy plate on top. Weight with 2 heavy cans; let stand at least 15 minutes (tofu should release about 1/2 cup liquid). Whisk 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in medium bowl; toss pork with marinade and set aside for at least 10 minutes (but no more than 30 minutes).
2. Combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water in small bowl and mix thoroughly; set aside, leaving spoon in bowl. Mix remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with remaining 1 teaspoon water in small bowl; add egg and beat with fork until combined. Set aside.
3. Bring broth to boil in large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; add bamboo shoots and mushrooms and simmer until mushrooms are just tender, about 5 minutes. While broth simmers, dice tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. Add tofu and pork, including marinade, to soup, stirring to separate any pieces of pork that stick together. Continue to simmer until pork is no longer pink, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir cornstarch mixture to recombine. Add to soup and increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens and turns translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, chili oil, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce; turn off heat.
5. Without stirring soup, use soupspoon to slowly drizzle very thin streams of egg mixture into pot in circular motion. Let soup sit 1 minute, then return saucepan to medium-high heat. Bring soup to gentle boil, then immediately remove from heat. Gently stir soup once to evenly distribute egg; ladle into bowls and top with scallions.
Per Serving:Cal 120; Fat 5 g; Sat fat 1 g; Chol 12 mg; Carb 12 g; Protein 8 g; Fiber 1 g; Sodium 1110 mg
1. Turn off heat so surface of soup is calm, then use spoon to drizzle egg onto surface in thin streams.
2. Let sit for 1 minute. Turn heat back on and stir gently to finish cooking egg and break into ribbons.
Chicken Pho - Vietnamese Noodle Soup
This is more traditional made with beef (and it's various parts considered inedible by me). But you can order chicken pho at a Vietnamese noodle house too. Traditionally you would actually serve the beef raw and thinly sliced and then pour boiling hot broth over it to cook it. This less daring technique seemed to work out fine. The recipe I found only talked about chicken, so I've only tried this with chicken but I bet it would work with beef too. The recipe orignially called for mushrooms in the soup and mint sprigs for garnish but I didn't include that since it's a bit unorthodox from my experience. I think doubled this recipe the first time so I could have leftovers but regretted it since the bean sprouts and other fresh stuff goes bad so fast and we couldn't eat it fast enough. But if you have a crowd to feed...
One note I have to add is that fresh spices seem like they really do matter on this one. Fancy cooks will tell you this is ALWAYS true, but I guess I'm too low-brow to notice most of the time. But I did notice with this recipe. Seems like each time I've made it as the spices got older, it was a little less good. Still good, mind you, just a little diminished.
Vietnamese Noodle Soup
(Chicken Pho)
4 ounces flat dried rice noodles (bahn pho) or linguine if desperate
3 green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal
2 garlic cloves, peeled
6 basil sprigs (preferably Thai basil if you can find it)
6 sprigs fresh cilantro
4 cans (14.5 ounces each) low sodium chicken broth or 7 cups homemade chicken broth (I've done this with bouillon cubes too and it turned out fine. If you're concerned about it being too salty you could just skip a couple bouillon cubes.)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 lb) (although I thought breast was a bit dry and the wrong texture in this - thigh might be better, but I never have it around)
1. In large bowl, soak rice noodles in enough warm water to cover 20 minutes, or cook linguine as label directs. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, combine one-third of green onions and all of the garlic, basil and cilantro sprigs, chicken broth, coriander seeds, and cinnamon stick; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Strain through sieve set over bowl; discard solids. Return broth to saucepan.
3. Cut chicken breast halves on diagonal into thin strips. Stir chicken, drained noodles, and remaining green onions into broth; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken loses its pink color throughout, about 3 minutes.
Makes about 9 cups
In my opinion, the garnishes is where this dish really shines, so don't skip this last part. If you order this at a Vietnamese restaurant you will usually be offered the following items for garnish: raw bean sprouts, lime wedges, sliced fresh jalapenos, more fresh basil and cilantro sprigs, hoisin sauce, and Sriracha (aka rooster sauce). Add garnishes to taste. (I only steep the japaleno slices in my broth for flavor without actually eating them. Also, I think you usually pick the leaves off the basil and cilantro and only add the leaves to your soup.)
This is HEAVEN on a cold day. It's what I crave when I have a bad cold, not that namby pamby American chicken soup.
One note I have to add is that fresh spices seem like they really do matter on this one. Fancy cooks will tell you this is ALWAYS true, but I guess I'm too low-brow to notice most of the time. But I did notice with this recipe. Seems like each time I've made it as the spices got older, it was a little less good. Still good, mind you, just a little diminished.
Vietnamese Noodle Soup
(Chicken Pho)
4 ounces flat dried rice noodles (bahn pho) or linguine if desperate
3 green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal
2 garlic cloves, peeled
6 basil sprigs (preferably Thai basil if you can find it)
6 sprigs fresh cilantro
4 cans (14.5 ounces each) low sodium chicken broth or 7 cups homemade chicken broth (I've done this with bouillon cubes too and it turned out fine. If you're concerned about it being too salty you could just skip a couple bouillon cubes.)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 lb) (although I thought breast was a bit dry and the wrong texture in this - thigh might be better, but I never have it around)
1. In large bowl, soak rice noodles in enough warm water to cover 20 minutes, or cook linguine as label directs. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, combine one-third of green onions and all of the garlic, basil and cilantro sprigs, chicken broth, coriander seeds, and cinnamon stick; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Strain through sieve set over bowl; discard solids. Return broth to saucepan.
3. Cut chicken breast halves on diagonal into thin strips. Stir chicken, drained noodles, and remaining green onions into broth; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken loses its pink color throughout, about 3 minutes.
Makes about 9 cups
In my opinion, the garnishes is where this dish really shines, so don't skip this last part. If you order this at a Vietnamese restaurant you will usually be offered the following items for garnish: raw bean sprouts, lime wedges, sliced fresh jalapenos, more fresh basil and cilantro sprigs, hoisin sauce, and Sriracha (aka rooster sauce). Add garnishes to taste. (I only steep the japaleno slices in my broth for flavor without actually eating them. Also, I think you usually pick the leaves off the basil and cilantro and only add the leaves to your soup.)
This is HEAVEN on a cold day. It's what I crave when I have a bad cold, not that namby pamby American chicken soup.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Ratatouille's Ratatouille
So this was awhile ago, but Claire wanted us to make ratatouille just like the movie. I found this fabulous recipe. Results were excellent, even if Claire still refused in the end to eat anything involving vegetables. M and I loved it. I find myself craving this all the time, but I don't own a mandoline:
There was much cutting. Good thing I have nice sharp knives.
I had a TON of extra veggies. I just couldn't find tiny veggies like I was supposed to use I guess. So I ended up making two pans and only one is pictured here. In retrospect I probably could have put it all in one 13x9, doubling the sauce, but I didn't know ahead of time that there would be that much.
We tried to serve it kinda like the movie to humor Claire. Too bad she didn't get suckered in.The goat cheese was a FABULOUS addition, though non-essential.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Vaguely Thai-Like Salad
I know that title doesn't sound so fabulous, but the recipe is actually very good. I just couldn't bring myself to actually title it "Thai Salad" like the newpaper clipping it came from did. It's yummy and the dressing is fabulous yet non-oily. I LOVE this for the summer months especially. You'll enjoy it as long as you don't expect authentic Thai fare.
1 lb beef steak (1/2 inch thick) OR 1 lb chicken (I usually use chicken even though beef would make it a smidgen more authentic)
Dressing:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice (or you know, more if you're me)
3 Tbsp brown sugar (I usually use less than this but M avoids sugar and I like things tart)
2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed (depending on how strong you like your garlic flavor - I press)
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (this comes out fairly spicy, especially the first serving where all the chili flakes are floating on top - feel free to vary the type of chili and the quantity to taste)
These are the other suggested components of the salad. The recipe states quantities and I never pay attention to them, so I refuse to post them as I can't vouch for them:
lettuce
shredded carrot
thinly sliced green onions
cooked thin spaghetti, or better yet, I use cappellini
fresh cilantro
Cut up your meat and cook it (I usually just George my chicken). Let the meat cool. Same deal with the noodles. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well (that brown sugar has a pesky habit of sticking to the bottom). Assemble your salad and enjoy!
1 lb beef steak (1/2 inch thick) OR 1 lb chicken (I usually use chicken even though beef would make it a smidgen more authentic)
Dressing:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice (or you know, more if you're me)
3 Tbsp brown sugar (I usually use less than this but M avoids sugar and I like things tart)
2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed (depending on how strong you like your garlic flavor - I press)
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (this comes out fairly spicy, especially the first serving where all the chili flakes are floating on top - feel free to vary the type of chili and the quantity to taste)
These are the other suggested components of the salad. The recipe states quantities and I never pay attention to them, so I refuse to post them as I can't vouch for them:
lettuce
shredded carrot
thinly sliced green onions
cooked thin spaghetti, or better yet, I use cappellini
fresh cilantro
Cut up your meat and cook it (I usually just George my chicken). Let the meat cool. Same deal with the noodles. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well (that brown sugar has a pesky habit of sticking to the bottom). Assemble your salad and enjoy!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Texas Sheet Cake
I know a lot of you probably already have this recipe, but oh well. I got this recipe from the illustrious Ralphie. I am now not allowed to come to my neighbors' bible study group unless I show up with this cake. I wish I was joking. Between this and her pancakes, I have to keep a steady supply of buttermilk in my fridge.
Texas Sheet Cake:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter
4 Tbs cocoa
1 cup water
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Mix flour, sugar, and soda. In a sauce pan melt butter, cocoa, and water. Bring to a rapid boil and pour over dry ingredients. Beat with mixer. Add rest of ingredients and mix well again. Put in greased and floured 12x18 pan (this is a cookie sheet with a lip or a jelly roll pan). Bake at 375 F for 13-15 minutes. Cool before adding frosting.
Texas Sheet Cake Frosting (It's a must!)
1/2 cup softened butter
4 Tbsp cocoa
6 Tbsp buttermilk
1 lb powdered sugar (this is about 3 3/4 cups)
nuts (optional)
Beat together with mixer until frosting is lighter in color and fluffy. Spread onto cooled cake.
This makes a whole lotta cake but it can be halved. A half recipe turns out nicely in a 9x13 pan.
Ralphie swears by this cake cold. Like "next day sat-all-night-in-the-fridge kind of cold." I however have found I prefer it warm (a few seconds in the microwave to the rescue!). In other words, it's delicious no matter how you eat it!
Texas Sheet Cake:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter
4 Tbs cocoa
1 cup water
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Mix flour, sugar, and soda. In a sauce pan melt butter, cocoa, and water. Bring to a rapid boil and pour over dry ingredients. Beat with mixer. Add rest of ingredients and mix well again. Put in greased and floured 12x18 pan (this is a cookie sheet with a lip or a jelly roll pan). Bake at 375 F for 13-15 minutes. Cool before adding frosting.
Texas Sheet Cake Frosting (It's a must!)
1/2 cup softened butter
4 Tbsp cocoa
6 Tbsp buttermilk
1 lb powdered sugar (this is about 3 3/4 cups)
nuts (optional)
Beat together with mixer until frosting is lighter in color and fluffy. Spread onto cooled cake.
This makes a whole lotta cake but it can be halved. A half recipe turns out nicely in a 9x13 pan.
Ralphie swears by this cake cold. Like "next day sat-all-night-in-the-fridge kind of cold." I however have found I prefer it warm (a few seconds in the microwave to the rescue!). In other words, it's delicious no matter how you eat it!
Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Vegetable Kabobs
I got this recipe from Emily Page. I actually never use all the (expensive) suggested ingredients (read: I don't splurge on asparagus, orzo, and feta). I usually use whatever we have around (onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.). I'm sure it would be even tastier if you actually followed the whole recipe, crumbled feta cheese and all. But even with just chicken in this marinade and whatever veggies you have around over rice, I might give this 4 stars.
Rosemary-Lemon Marinade:
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsps fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Chicken and Vegetables:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 lb asparagus spears
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
In shallow glass or plastic bowl or resealable food-storage plastic bag, mix all marinade ingredients. Add chicken, stirring to coat with marinade. Cover dish or seal bag. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, at least 30 min but no longer than 6 hours.
Preheat grill. Remove chicken from marinade and reserve marinade. Thread chicken and all veggies except asparagus on skewers. Brush vegetables with marinade.
Grill kabobs covered over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, turning and brushing frequently with marinade. (Or you could be lazy like me and just pour all the marinade over the kabobs just before you grill them and call it good... it still turns out good.) Cook until chicken is no longer pink. Add asparagus to grill for the last 5 minutes of grilling, turning occasionally, until crisp-tender. Discard any remaining marinade.
Sprinkle feta cheese over kabobs. Serve kabobs with asparagus. The recipe also suggests tossing rosamarina (orzo) pasta with chopped fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, or marjoram) for a delicious side dish.
Rosemary-Lemon Marinade:
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsps fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Chicken and Vegetables:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 lb asparagus spears
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
In shallow glass or plastic bowl or resealable food-storage plastic bag, mix all marinade ingredients. Add chicken, stirring to coat with marinade. Cover dish or seal bag. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, at least 30 min but no longer than 6 hours.
Preheat grill. Remove chicken from marinade and reserve marinade. Thread chicken and all veggies except asparagus on skewers. Brush vegetables with marinade.
Grill kabobs covered over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, turning and brushing frequently with marinade. (Or you could be lazy like me and just pour all the marinade over the kabobs just before you grill them and call it good... it still turns out good.) Cook until chicken is no longer pink. Add asparagus to grill for the last 5 minutes of grilling, turning occasionally, until crisp-tender. Discard any remaining marinade.
Sprinkle feta cheese over kabobs. Serve kabobs with asparagus. The recipe also suggests tossing rosamarina (orzo) pasta with chopped fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, or marjoram) for a delicious side dish.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Rolls
I got this recipe from Emily Page. It's for use on the dough cycle of a bread maker. I'd give these 4 stars.
Makes 16 rolls (actually, the original recipe made 18, but it's a lot easier to cut a circle into 16ths than into 18ths, and it doesn't really change the bake time)
3/4 cup water
1 large egg
3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons dry milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
Put ingredients in order in bread machine. Select dough cycle.
When dough cycle is complete, roll dough out into a large circle. Cut into 16 wedges. Roll wedges up from the outside of the circle in.
Place rolls on baking sheet. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
Makes 16 rolls (actually, the original recipe made 18, but it's a lot easier to cut a circle into 16ths than into 18ths, and it doesn't really change the bake time)
3/4 cup water
1 large egg
3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons dry milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
Put ingredients in order in bread machine. Select dough cycle.
When dough cycle is complete, roll dough out into a large circle. Cut into 16 wedges. Roll wedges up from the outside of the circle in.
Place rolls on baking sheet. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
I got this recipe from a very old friend. It's one of the few things my daughter will actually look forward to having for dinner. I give it 3 stars (because I don't do half stars, otherwise I'd give it 3.5).
6 cups chopped broccoli (fresh or frozen - I use 2 1lb bags of frozen chopped broccoli)
1 grated carrot
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp parsley flakes
5 chicken bouillon cubes (okay, so maybe not vegetarian in the strictest sense)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
1 pint heavy cream
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
Add bouillon cubes to 5 cups water. Boil and add vegetables and parsley. Cook until tender, about 5 min. Mix about 1/3 cup milk with the flour, stirring until smooth. Stir flour mixture and rest of milk into soup, then stir in cream. Cook for a little while until it starts to thicken. Add grated cheese and cook only until cheese melts.
I usually serve this with the rolls in my next post.
6 cups chopped broccoli (fresh or frozen - I use 2 1lb bags of frozen chopped broccoli)
1 grated carrot
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp parsley flakes
5 chicken bouillon cubes (okay, so maybe not vegetarian in the strictest sense)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
1 pint heavy cream
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
Add bouillon cubes to 5 cups water. Boil and add vegetables and parsley. Cook until tender, about 5 min. Mix about 1/3 cup milk with the flour, stirring until smooth. Stir flour mixture and rest of milk into soup, then stir in cream. Cook for a little while until it starts to thicken. Add grated cheese and cook only until cheese melts.
I usually serve this with the rolls in my next post.
Macaroni and Cheese That Grown-Ups Want to Eat
The other night we had Kraft mac'n'cheese. Glamorous, I know. To make it more palatable for me, we cook broccoli florets in with the noodles. Then we prepare the sauce according to the directions on the box, adding 1/2 can of diced tomatoes per box of mac (or even less depending on how tomatoey you like it), some italian seasoning, some extra grated cheese, and some parmesan. You could add lots of other things, including chicken to make it more substantial. I know Ralphie adds peas and chicken, which is very yummy.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Indian-Style Chicken Curry
I made this recipe up with inspiration from the curry my mom would make growing up. I give it three stars. Since I never actually measure this stuff, I'm not positive how accurate this is, sorry. The key here is the curry paste so you don't have to collect your own spices. I use Patak's brand, which comes in several delicious flavors with varying spiciness. Collect them all! You can find the jars of curry paste in the international foods aisle of some grocery stores (Randall's here had it last I checked) or an Indian market (there's one over by the Best Buy on 45 around here).
1 medium onion, sliced
Note: I've made this with beef before too when I was out of chicken. I prefer the chicken, but I thought the beef was (Sorry all you Hindus!) SACRILICIOUS!!!
1 medium onion, sliced
2 chicken breasts, cubed
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2-4 Tbs. Indian curry paste
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
1 lb. frozen okra
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
garlic salt to taste (optional)
Directions:
Cook onions and chicken in large frying pan over medium high heat. Stir in curry paste (vary based on how frugal you want to be and how strong and how spicy you want it) and cook for about 5 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and simmer for about 5 additional minutes. Add frozen veggies and garlic salt, if using. Simmer at least until vegetables are cooked, stirring occasionally. The okra naturally thickens the curry. The longer you simmer, the better the flavors turn out, so I try to simmer for about half an hour. Shortly before serving, stir in lemon juice (add extra if you like, I have no idea how much I use) and let it simmer for a minute or two before serving.
Serve over rice (basmati rice is most authentic and very yummy).
Note: I've made this with beef before too when I was out of chicken. I prefer the chicken, but I thought the beef was (Sorry all you Hindus!) SACRILICIOUS!!!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Pesto Pasta with Chicken
I got this recipe from Emily Page in the Round Rock ward. I give it 4 stars. Why isn't she on this blog, anyway? Because seriously, I always love the recipes she gives me.
Pesto Ravioli with Chicken
1 lb cooked chicken, cubed
1 package cheese-filled ravioli, thawed (I often have tortellini from Ralphie's fabulous Tortellini Soup around, so I usually use that instead. Any cheese-filled pasta should work. I think this is supposed to be a 19 oz package, which is about 4 cups.)
1 tsp chicken bouillon (or 1 cube)
1 cup water
3 small zucchini, sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup pesto sauce
Add bouillon and water to very large skillet. Stir in pasta. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 4 min. or until pasta is tender. Stir in zucchini, pepper, and chicken. Cooker over medium high heat 3 min., stirring occasionally until vegetables are crisp tender. Stir in pesto.
Pesto Ravioli with Chicken
1 lb cooked chicken, cubed
1 package cheese-filled ravioli, thawed (I often have tortellini from Ralphie's fabulous Tortellini Soup around, so I usually use that instead. Any cheese-filled pasta should work. I think this is supposed to be a 19 oz package, which is about 4 cups.)
1 tsp chicken bouillon (or 1 cube)
1 cup water
3 small zucchini, sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup pesto sauce
Add bouillon and water to very large skillet. Stir in pasta. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 4 min. or until pasta is tender. Stir in zucchini, pepper, and chicken. Cooker over medium high heat 3 min., stirring occasionally until vegetables are crisp tender. Stir in pesto.
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