Diary of an Iron Homemaker

Simple. Sort of.

2011-03-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back I did a small wedding cake for a church friend. She just wanted something very simple for their small wedding party.

I soon realized that very often the simplest cakes can be difficult to pull of because there's no room for flaws - they have to be perfect. You can't cover mistakes up with a multitude of decorations. It was a good reminder how important it is to have strong fundamental skills. Also to thanks to my friends Pat and Amy for helping me with the bow. To quote Mr. Wickham, "I can't be trusted. I have poor taste in ribbons."

Nutmeg-Scented Scones

2011-01-27T10:45:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to do is lay in bed with a big fleecy blanket and read about food. Now, I understand this comes dangerously close to the Costanza Pastrami Experiment ("I find pastrami to be the most sensual of all the salted cured meats...") but no worries - in this case it's just me, my blanket, and the latest issue of Bon Appetit.

The upside of this practice is food dreams, where one can experience the pleasure of indulgence without the consequences. The less-desirable side effect is actually waking up in the middle of the night thinking about a recipe you just read. Sadly for me, I woke at 2:00 in the morning and started thinking about scones: rich, tender, hot from the oven with a little butter and raspberry jam. Unable to get back to sleep, I tossed and turned, my stomach predictably growling, yet I refused to suffer the indignity of actually getting out of bed for some 3 a.m. baking.

Needless to say, the next morning I was busy making Nutmeg-Scented Scones. They were simple, tender, and had that nice "edge" that I like in a scone. If nutmeg isn't your thing, decrease the amount (1 t. is really a lot of nutmeg and the flavor is really pronounced) or swap it out with something else like cinnamon, orange zest, or mini chocolate chips. And like biscuits, use a light hand when working the dough. It's better to have an ugly scone that a tough one.

Nutmeg-Scented Scones

Adapted from Bon Appetit

2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly grated whole nutmeg or ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup sour cream
1 egg white, beaten to blend with 2 teaspoons water (for glaze)
2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in processor; blend 10 seconds. Using on/off turns, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add sour cream. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Knead 4 turns to form ball. Roll out dough to 8-inch square (about 3/4 inch thick). Cut square into 8 wedges. Brush with egg-white glaze; sprinkle with 2 T. sugar and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Transfer to baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
Bake scones until tops are golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer scones to rack and cool slightly. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Store scones airtight at room temperature. Rewarm in 350°F oven 10 minutes, if desired.

Because I Can

2010-09-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

Ask anyone who does home canning to describe the feeling when the kitchen is finally clean and the hot gleaming jars filled with jam or tomatoes or pears are cooling on a tea towel and you can her the faint click of the lids sealing. It's a great feeling, which I'm almost embarrassed to admit. Does this mean I need to get a life? Do I need to get off my sanctimonious canning pot? Does it mean I'm an idiot because I can get pears at Wal-Mart cheaper and faster? Maybe. Canning is time-consuming, messy, and tiring. Why bother?

My mom and dad have been canning like crazy, putting up their famous chili sauce, tomato soup, salsa, pickles and pickled beets. While unloading some of their surplus tomatoes they were commenting on how much canning is becoming a thing of the past. Back in the day, you couldn't walk into a grocery store in August or September without seeing huge canning displays and promotions. Now, you usually have to ask were it's all hiding.

I guess there is much to be said for simply knowing how to do something. I can sleep at night, knowing that what I grow won't rot on the vine and that I can preserve food for my family. I know what's in those jars - no weird ingredients, no preservatives, no junk.

And it keeps me honest because it connects me with the past and reminds me of the true price that was once paid to keep food on the table. Sure, I still get dollar menu, drink Diet Coke and know that the vast majority of what I make will fall short of the pinnacle of food purity and virtue. But every once in a while, make something from scratch. You will feel oddly redeemed.

Canned Tomato Soup

From Stephanie at Stop the Ride.com

1 peck ripe tomatoes (about 8 quarts)
4 onion sliced
12 sprigs parsley
2 bay leaves
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp cloves
2 TB salt
1 TB sugar

Skin, seed, and quarter tomatoes. Tie spices in a bag. Combine all ingredients and heat very slowly; simmer for 1/2 hour. (You may want to simmer longer if you want a thick soup.) Strain, reheat and bring to the boiling point. Pour into sterilized air-tight jars leaving 1/2 inch head space. Process in boiling water bath; 40 minutes for quarts.

*Note: I added 1 t. red pepper flakes to the spice bag and 10 mintues to process time for high altitude

This makes a thin soup that would be an excellent base for any vegetable or creamed tomato soup.

Scrollin, scrollin, scrollin...

2010-08-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

You know when someone asks you to do something, and because your kind and accomodating, you're like, "Sure!", and then a month later you find you and your hot kitchen covered in melted dark chocolate, surrounded by 3 kinds of buttercream, two fillings, four kinds of cake, three batches of fondant and you wonder, as the Talking Heads infamously did, "How did I get here?".

That happened to me this week. My cousin Becky got married on Friday and I was thrilled when she asked me to make her wedding cake. A three-tier Italian buttercream-covered chocolate scroll-lined cake. Nevermind I'd never done chocolate scrolls. And then, another cousin's friend asks you to make a purse cake, which is, again, so great but you don't immediate realize that they need to be picked up a day apart.

Well, the Week of the Chocolate Scroll is finally over, and I'm proud to say I didn't break down and purchase these but rather perservered and made about 180 of these bad boys for my cousin Becky's wedding cake. Which, in short, was no easy task given the August heat and dearth of information on how to make them. But I did it, and am disturbingly proud of myself for figuring it out.

Also finished the purse cake in the nick of time. Funny, if somewould would have asked me five years ago if I'd be making pink and black zebra printed purse cakes I'd tell them they were crazy. What a ride.

Daisy, Daisy

2010-06-06T12:38:00.001-07:00

Here's a very pastel-y, mid-western-y cake I made for my friend Amy, for her mother-in-law's 70th birthday.

Here's the example the design was taken from:

It was a fun cake to do. With every cake I learn something new, and if anyone has any secrets as to how to get the petals to stay on those blessed daisies, please let me know.

I'm Melting!

2010-05-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

Oh. my. heck. From This is why you're fat.com. Aparrently the guy from Man vs. Food tries to take one of these babies on, made at Melt Bar & Grilled.

Some of you may be aware of my aversion to 1) fake cheese; 2) large amounts of melted cheese; and 3) cheeses mixed together. This pretty much covers it. I gotta wrap this up. I'm seriously feeling gross.

Mother's Day Pies

2010-05-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

I had big ideas for mom's Mother's Day cake, but as the day drew nearer, those big ideas turned into big questions: Did a tiered cake with light yellow fondant and fresh flowers really reflect my mom? Does my mom even like cake? And ultimately, was this cake about my mom, or me?

At length I concluded that the best cake I could make for my mom was in fact a pie.

Sure, mom busted out the occasional cake from a boxed mix, but pies were something special altogether. Pies mean thanksgiving and hold the literal fruits of our labors. A good pie demands patience, practice, skill, trial and error. The rewards of a good pie? A knife shattering the sugary top, cutting through the sweet, tangy fruit through to the crisp bottom crust. Quickly lift the slice, dripping its juices, onto a plate, spoon on some loosely whipped cream, and you have what almost everyone wants at the end of their last meal on earth: a pie. In short, cake may be for celebrations, but pie means going home.

(Grandma Ginny's Pie Tin)

I made three pies for Mother's Day: Banana Cream (for the kids), Apple Blackberry (for the traditionalists) and French Lemon Cream Tart (to cover my bases). It was way better than making a cake.

Banana Cream Pie

(adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking from my Home to Yours)

The use of brown sugar and a few spices in the custard and a little sour cream in the topping adds a new dimension to the old standard.

For the custard:

2 c. whole milk

6 large egg yolks

1/2 c. light brown sugar

1/3 c. cornstarch, sifted

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/8 t. freshly grated nutmeg

1 t. vanilla extract

3 T. cold unsalted butter

3 ripe but firm bananas

1 9-inch single crust, fully baked and cooled

For the topping:

1 c. cold heavy cream

2 T. powdered sugar, sifted

1 t. vanilla extract

2 T. sour cream

Bring the milk to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the yolks together with the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until well blended and thick. Whisking without stopping, drizzle in a bout 1/4 c. of the hot milk to temper the mixture. Still whisking, add the remainder of the moil in a steady stream. Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. Boil, still whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes before removing from the heat.

Whisk in vanilla. Let stand for 5 minutes, when whisk in the bits of butter, stirring until they are fully incorporated and the custard is smooth and silky. Cool in ice bath or refrigerate until cool (press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the custard if you refrigerate it).

When you are ready to assemble the pie, peel the bananas and cut them on a shallow diagonal into 1/4-inch slices.

Whisk the cold custard vigorously to loosen it, and spread about one quarter of it over the bottom of the crust. Top with half of the bananas. Repeat, adding a thin layer of custard and the remaining bananas, then smooth the rest of the pastry cream over the last layer of bananas.

For the topping, beat the cream until it just starts to thicken. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and continue to beat until the cream holds firm peaks. Gently fold in the sour cream. Spoon the whipped cream over the filling and spread it evenly to the edges of the custard.

The aftermath:

Trial by Fondant

2010-04-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

I have my first wedding cake under my belt, and while the end result didn't precisely match the initial conception, I'm just happy that 1) the cake tasted good, 2) the bride loved it, and 3) nobody died during the making of said cake.

There was supposed to be a second black separator under the top two tiers but the cake was wobbling dangerously anytime anyone would walk by. Did I mention the cake was perched atop an extremely high "billy table"? Scary, indeed, and in order to avoid a cake-tastrophe (tm - Ace of Cakes), the lady there doing the flowers for the cake advised me to remove the second separator. Sigh. In addition, I learned:

florists really like to add a lot of flowers to cake. A lot of flowers.
(related) I need to be more assertive about exactly how I wanted the flowers I want on a cake
one large dowel is better that 3 smaller dowels
carrot cake should never be on a top layer
rice krispie treats work great on a bottom layer (and everyone loves them)
Regional Supply can make really great custom plastic cake separators
watching 100 people eat a cake I made is really cool

My practice for the wedding cake was Beth's baptism cake. I'm learning to love the modern look of square cakes.

Here's a fun cake I did a few months back for my friend's daughter's birthday. For the party they went to Classic Skating, the most wonderful place on earth. I was a little nervous about sculpting roller skates out of fondant but in the end I cheated and covered baby shoes with fondant and made gum paste wheels. Hey, whatever works.

Girly girly purse cakes

2010-03-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

When I started this crazy hobby I never envisioned that I'd be making such girly cakes. But when the Relief Society called and said they needed a purse cake for their next meeting I was happy to get the practice.

My first problem was how to make the purse shape. I thought I'd have to stack a few small cakes on each other and basically cut the cake to shape. I hate wasting this much cake, though, so I got the idea to bake some cake in small, medium, and large loaf pans. When the cakes were baked I leveled them off, inverted them, and stacked them on each other to make an angled purse shape. I had to shave off some cake on a couple of sides, but I was really surprised how well it all fit together.

I wasn't sure how to get those zebra stripes on the cake so I just mixed a little black food coloring with some almond extract and painted the pattern on. The rest of the decor is just rolled fodant pierced with a fork to make the "stitched" pattern.

The base of the cake I decorated to resemble a hat box. I'm completely useless with ribbons, so thanks to Becky for helping me with the hatbox ribbon. Looking at the result, I must conclude that there may be a small bit of girly girl left in me after all these years.

Vampire Kitty

2010-02-09T08:54:00.000-08:00

What does every Korean exchange student want for her 21st birthday? Why a Hello Kitty cake, of course!

And what does every teenage Mormon girl want for her birthday? That's right, a Twilight cake.

It was a sad reality that these two cakes could not somehow be combined into a blood-sucking, scarf wearing, chess-playing, fanged little kitty.

(I am still holding out and have not read any books from the Twilight series. Who's with me? We must be strong!)

Harry Freaking Potter

2010-01-10T19:31:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago a friend mentioned that she needed some cake ideas for her son's Harry Potter-themed birthday party. I enthusiastically volunteered, not fully realizing at the time that executing a Harry Potter cake is not as easy as, say, a round cake with cute polka dots. I got a few ideas online and off I went on my maiden voyage of making COUS (cakes of unusual shapes).
I saw some cute ideas of cakes online that were all beyond my current abilities, but here's what I came up with. A stack of books, a Gryffindor scarf and some store-bought detailing. (I'm not, sadly, up to speed on making gum-paste Harry Potter glasses.) I learned also that covering cakes partially in fondant is much more difficult that fully covering them, especially of your covering the bottom and top but not the sides.

I also was grateful that it didn't matter if the "books" looked old and wrinkly because they're supposed to be old and wrinkly. I had some extra cake batter so I made a little stand for the sorting hat and painted on wording with a small paintbrush and a little gel coloring mixed with almond extract.

There were plenty of mistakes (a brush gone awry was turned into a snake) but all in all I learned a lot and am excited for my next project. Perhaps I'll look back on this cake and think of my salad days of cake baking, where the steep 2 a.m. learning curve ruled the day.

In other news, another year of holiday baking is in the books. There was a new record: 12 dozen cinnamon rolls. I gotta get me a Hobart.

So, all of you that are dieting or doing that crazy Nutrisystem (sheer insanity, I tell you, but that's a post for another day), just take a long look at the cinnamon rolls, take a deep breath, and go eat some celery. Or just make the rolls.

Cake Dreams

2009-11-27T08:27:00.000-08:00

This past month I've been a volunteer several fondant cake classes at Orson Gygi. Christina Miller taught the class and did a great job. Although I was just the "help", I learned a lot and now am very excited about making and decorating cakes. This has been a strange departure from my normal range of baking. I have always been more of a pie & pastry enthusiast than a cake one, but decorating cakes has allowed me to tap into any creative artistry that has more or less lain dormant all these years.

I now lay in bed at night and think of cake. I think of excuses to make them, and how to decorate them. I dream of fondant. I peruse the classifieds for used bakery equipment. I think I'm making my family crazy.

This is a cake I did for my sister-in-law Jerrea's parents' 50th wedding anniversary. It was my first "tiered" cake and was a lot of fun to do.

This cake was for Jessica's birthday. She served an LDS mission to Hong Kong, so I wanted to do something Chinese-themed.

This was a last minute birthday cake for Emily. I had a leftover tier from another cake I dried to replicate her cute wedding colors of green and pink.

This was my very first fondant cake made for my sister Laura's birthday. Go Utes!

A Place for Pears

2009-11-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

Two 36-lb cases of Bartlett pears layed out on my basement floor to ripen: $18Extra lids, rings, and lemon juice: $8
Washing and sanitizing 33 quart jars: 2 hours of hard work for my dishwasher

About 8 gallons of light sugar syrup: $2

Peeling, coring, slicing 72 pounds of pears: 6 hours

Finishing 33 quarts of pears: priceless

Spending the afternoon doing pears with my mom: even more priceless
_________________________

"I'm coming over to help you do pears," my mom said, upon hearing me worry outloud that I wouldn't get to the over 70 lbs of rapidly ripening pears on my basement floor. I knew she'd come over. She loves to do pears.

There is a quietness to doing pears. The silence of peeling the fruit as its juice runs down your wrists. The whisper of a spash as the pears get a lemon juice bath. There is no frantic chopping as for salsa, no whine of the food processor, no vinegary sharpness in the air from chili sauce. Just the warm mellow smell of the pears, the simmer of the sugar syrup and the the distant click of a sealing jar.

My mother's hands can no longer quilt, and her mind struggles with the complications of daily life. Standing is hard. Walking is harder. But we can sit at my table and do pears, her tremoring hand now firm and steady as the peels fall from the fruit.

Key Lime Cheesecake

2009-10-18T20:14:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to say about this one, other than it is smooth, creamy, tangy, rich, and just magically delicious. Okay, I'll say a little more: you start with a generously thick, buttery, sweet, graham cracker crust, then add some tart and tangy lime custard. Then comes the cheesecake layer, spiked with lime juice. Top it off with a smooth, rich layer of sweetened sour cream. Oh yeah.
I lay awake at night thinking of variations. Cranberry/orange? Raspberry/lemon?

key lime cheesecake from Epicurious.com.

Pumpkin Bread

2009-10-04T08:26:00.000-07:00

It must be time for pumpkin bread because the first two stores were fresh out of canned pumpkin. Not to be deterred, I soldiered on and found one of those giant 29-oz cans. Looks like we're going to be making a lot of pumpkin bread.

Okay, so I love pumpkin bread but I feel that many recipes really use too much oil and sugar, and that results in a bread lacks texture and complexity. This pumpkin bread is different. It contains chocolate chips (yay!), golden raisins (huh?), and nuts (but only if you want your kids not to eat it). It also uses part whole wheat flour, and that lends a nice sturdiness to the bread without being dry. And you raisin snobs of the world, stop freaking out - they added a nice contrast to the bread. Just try it!

I had to eat some right out of the oven, but to be honest, this bread is better the next day. It "sets up", doesn't crumble as much, and the flavors have had time to develop. Oh, and I really don't know how many loaves it makes. I just got out 6-7 pans of varying sizes and filled them up halfway.

This recipe is adapted from CIA's Baking at Home. This is not the beauty shot I was hoping for, but trust me - it's good.

Pumpkin Bread

1 c. golden raisins

1 c. hot water

4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3 3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 T baking powder

2 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

3/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 t. ground cloves

3 1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree (about 1 29 oz can)

2 1/4 c. sugar

6 lg. eggs, room temp

1 1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 c. mini chocolate chips (optional)

1 1/2 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (If you're not at high altitude, you may want to do 375). Grease and flour your pans. Pour 1 c. hot water over raisins and let plump for at least 10 minutes.

Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and set aside. Reserving soaking liquid, remove raisins and chop roughly (this step is optional). Combine the raisins and soaking liquid, pumpkin, sugar, eggs, and oil in a large bowl and mix well.

Pour the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips if using. Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out with a few moist crumbs and sides are light golden, 25-45 minutes. (Smaller loaves will be done quicker, so keep a close eye.) Let loaves cool in the pans on wire racks for 10-15 minutes. Turn them out and continue cooling on racks before serving. Wrap in foil and give to your neighbors.

Cranberry Blondies

2009-09-30T18:46:00.000-07:00

After watching a blondie throwdown (no Ed, it's not what you think) on Throwdown with Bobby Flay, I've developed a hankering for buttery, brown-sugary blondies. The only thing I sometimes don't like about them is that they're very sweet and can often be doughy. I like these because the cranberry adds a nice tang and the almonds give a good texture. The almond is backed up with a shot of almond extract, which I love.

Cranberry Almond White Chocolate Blondies

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temp.

1 2/3 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temp.

1 t. vanilla

a few drops of almond extract

1 cup sliced almonds, (3 ounces), toasted

3/4 c. cup dried cranberries (soak in a few T. hot water if needed to plump up; could also use fresh cranberries, sliced)

1 c. white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing 2 inches to hang over sides. Butter lining (excluding overhang); set pan aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Reserving some of each to sprinkle on top, stir in almonds, cranberries, and white chocolate chips into the batter.

Pour into prepared pan; spread with a rubber spatula. Scatter remaining nuts, cranberries and white chocolate over batter in pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into blondies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, 30-40 minutes (don't overbake!). Dust with confectioners’ sugar before cutting into squares.

Salsa Week

2009-09-27T23:57:00.000-07:00

Who knew that my piddly side yard could produce so many tomatoes? And why oh why does canning season seemingly coincide with the busiest time of the year? And why does canning make me so tired?

I have my friend Alison to thank for the salsa recipe. She was the one that first showed me the ropes when I started baking bread, and she is quite the homemaker. If she can make cookies from bean flour, then I would imagine that her salsa recipe would be pretty good. I was right.

Alison's Homemade Salsa for bottling

24 large tomatoes

4 large green peppers (I used a mix of different colored peppers, and threw in a few jalapenos as well)

4 large onions

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup apple cider vinegar (I used part lime juice b/c I happened to have some)

3 tsp salt

1/4 cup taco seasoning (I used the "hot" variety)

1 6 ounce can tomato paste

3 4 ounce cans green chilies

Dash garlic powder (I used 6 fresh garlic cloves, minced)

Prepare tomatoes, remove skins and cores. (At this point I put them in the stockpot and blitzed the tomatoes with my immersion blender.)Chop onions and green peppers. Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Place in pint jars and process for 25 minutes. Makes about 14 pints.

Italian Plum Crumb Cake

2009-09-20T20:54:00.000-07:00

My sweet neighbor brought me a bag of Italian plums, and I was immediately thrown back to my childhood. I think my Grandma Clark must have had these kind of plums: dark purple with the light blue smudges on the skin, with the yellowish-green flesh. I remember eating them straight off the tree, one after another. And if Grandma Clark had them then we know there had to be something truly redeeming about them.

Grandma Clark, queen of spice cake, applesauce cookies and low-sugar jam, never had much much use for candy. There was a story circulated that she would insist on not adding the recommended amount of sugar to the batch of homemade jam. Not convinced, grandpa snuck in a whole cup of sugar to the batch and quickly stirred it in before it could be discovered. Upon tasting the finished jam, she would declare, "You see, Ellsworth, it tastes just fine without it."

Once, grandma was babysitting me. I must have been desperate for some candy, because I scaled the countertop, along it and somehow opened the tall cupboard without falling off. I discovered, much to my delight, a teacup with a few small, round candies inside. Just then, grandma entered the kitchen as I was about to pop them in my mouth. "Oh, no!", she cried. "Those are my heart pills!". Dang.

So grandma, I'm sorry for not being able to eat all these plums myself, but rather attaching them to a rather rich cake. I'm sorry I did not halve the sugar, nor did I swap out the butter for applesauce. But I'd like to think you'd like this anyway.

This recipe is adapted from Nick Malgieri's How to Bake.

Italian Plum Crumb Cake

Cake

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp.

3/4 c. sugar

1 egg plus 3 egg yolks

1 t. lemon zest

1 t. vanilla extract

1 1/4 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

pinch of salt

Topping

1 1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 t. cinnamon

6 T. butter

about 12 Italian plums, quartered and pitted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a 10-inch springform pan by buttering it and lining it with a disc of parchment paper.

For the cake, cream the butter in large mixing bowl until soft and light. Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating for about 5 minutes, until very light. Add the egg and continue beating until lighter. Add the yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping the bowl occasionally. Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together, and gradually mix in, just until blended.

For the topping, mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Melt the butter and stir it in evenly. Rub the mixture to coarse crumbs by hand.

Rinse, halve, and pit the plums. Cut into quarters. Spread cake batter into prepared pan.

Arrange plums on top.

Add crumb topping.

Bake the cake for 50 t0 60 minutes, until crumbs are well-colored and batter is no longer liquid. Cool the cake in the pan and then run a knife around the edge to loosen it. Remove pan side and slide from base to a platter. Dust lightly with confectioners sugar.

Recipe notes:

Mine was done between 45 and 50 minutes. Don't let it go to long or else it will be dry. If your plums are on the dry side and not juicy, consider soaking them or adding a little more liquid to the batter - perhaps a tablespoon or so of the plum soaking liquid.

If You Give Paul a Pie

2009-08-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

(A lyrical account in the style of Laura Numeroff of our recent Chamberlain girl Estrogen Summit at our dear sister Linda’s home in Victoria, B.C. )

If you give Paul a Pie
He might just lick the plate
And if he licks the plate, then Linda will do, too.
After so much plate licking, you might need a walk to the beach.

To admire the wildflowers

And find strange sea creatures

And watch the sunset from the breakwater.

And if you watch the sunset from the breakwater, you might feel a little melancholy. And if you feel melancholy, you might just need a little bridge mix.

And if you’re eating bridge mix, you might just need a good book.

So you peruse the bookshelves to find this:
But settle on “The Power of One” by Linda’s recommendation.
And after eating bridge mix and reading you need to get the blood going, so you take a bike ride.
And if you go on a bike ride, your chain might come off.

If your chain falls off, you’ll have to ride down to a beautiful beach

And get in the water

Or not.

And if you go on a bike ride and get wet, you’ll have to ride through the forest on the way home. And if you ride through the forest you’ll have to pick wild blackberries.

And if you pick blackberries, you’ll have to make Lemon Blackberry Pavlova.

And if you eat pavlova, you might just need to lay on the couch and look out the window.

And if you lay on the couch and look out the window, you might just see a stormy sunset brewing.

And if you see a stormy sunset brewing, you may need to run down to the beach through the rain, defying all reason and almost getting killed by a taxi.

And if you make it to the beach alive, you’ll get to see the cruise ships casting off.

And that will remind you to return home and try and finish your book.

And if you finish your book you’ll need to walk downtown to the Munro’s Bookstore. You’ll pass by The Empress.

And Chinatown. If you’re in Chinatown, you need to have some Dim Sum.

After Dim Sum you'll need coconut buns.

And eat one right away.
After all that eating, you’ll need to do some kayaking.
Where you terrorize the wildlife,Take pictures of your feet,

Dodge the landing seaplanes,

And paddle around the Inner Harbour.
After all of that work, you might just need a snack, so you make some mixed berry crumble.

And eat while admiring Paul’s artwork around the house.

And take in the flowers

While thus relaxing, you remind yourself that you haven’t yet been to Pagliacci’s, the best Italian joint around. So you go.

And eat the best Caesar salad you've ever had, plus multiple bowls of lentil or minestrone soup
And if you eat a lot of soup...

You deserve a little turtle pie.

Ordered from the suggestive menu.

And if you eat turtle pie for lunch, you’re going to have to eat sushi for dinner. (You know, yin and yang.)

So you try sashimi
And the “special”

And lots of sushi

And if you eat a ton of sushi, you're going to have to redeem yourself. The best way to redeem yourself is to make a really nice, fresh dinner (the next day, of course.)

You make panzanella
And feast on stuffed grape leaves, hummus and antipasti

And if you've stuffed yourself beyond belief, laughed until you peed your pants, cried profusely, exercised until your legs burned, and played speed Scrabble until it was very, very late, it might just be time to go home.

And if it's almost time to go home, you might just need to make one more pie.

Baby Wants Pie!

2009-07-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

Something is seriously wrong with me. I've made 3 pies in 3 days. Here's the damage, plus a few random things I've made over the past week or so.

Ina Garten's Summer Fruit Crostata

I used pluots instead of black plums - their color was amazing.

And, I used my own crust recipe instead of Ina's. Here it is:

2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. sea salt
3 T. sugar
1 1/2 cubes cold butter (12 T.), cut into small pieces
4 T. shortening
1/3 to 1/2 c. ice water (or more if you need it)

Roll out the dough....

Dump on the fruit...

I like to roll out the dough and then use a dinner plate to trim off some of the jagged edges. It's not perfect, but that's the beauty of this type of pie.

And finally, a pie without fruit.

Martha Stewart's Coconut Custard Pie

I was pleasantly surprised by this pie. It was really easy and the custard turn out really smooth with none of that unpleasant cornstarchy-ness. Lucky for me I had an old bag of coconut chips. They're unsweetened, so I tossed the coconut with a couple of tablespoons of Golden Syrup and toasted it. Sweet and crunchy coconut. Nice.

Don't forget to make jam tart with the pastry scraps. Jam tarts forgive a multitude of sins. Believe me, I know.

And now for something completely different...

The summer's first zucchini is finally here. Here it is, simply sauteed with some onion, garlic, and tomato. My new favorite website, Gourmet.com has a some intriguing zucchini recipes in their zucchini test kitchen challenge.

Here are some grilled potatoes with a blue cheese viniagrette. It's a version of Bobby Flay's potato salad sans the watercress underneath.

A random mishap with some exploding dough.

I'm still making bread most of the time, although I still have moments of weakness where I can't be bothered to bake, especially in July.
Rhubarb ice cream: sweet, tangy, subtle.

Yet another fruit dessert: summer fruit bars. Fuzzy picture, but good. That's all for now. Stay tuned for some good eats from Victoria, B.C.

Blueberry Cherry Buckle

2009-07-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Independence Day, here's a red, white and blue dessert. You're probably sick of seeing fruit desserts and reading me wax on about the glories of turning someone's abundance into something delicious, so let me just say this: I'll be making this one again with whatever fruits I can get my hands on.

More of a fruity coffee cake than a cobbler, it's just sweet enough but not overly rich. It's moist without being heavy, and the presence of fresh fruit offers just enough redemptive value to allow you to eat this for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This recipe is adapted from King Arthur Flour's Baker's Companion and adjusted to fit a 9 x 13-inch pan.

Blueberry Cherry Buckle

Batter

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. unsalted butter (1 stick), room temp

2 lg. eggs, room temp

1 c. milk, room temp

4 c. flour

1 T. baking powder

1 t. salt

1/2 t. cardamom (optional)

2 t. vanilla

3 c. blueberries, rinsed and picked over

2 c. sweet cherries, pitted

(Note about the fruit: you could certainly add more or different fruit in whatever combination you like. Peaches and blueberries are good together.)

Streusel

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. four

1 t. cinnamon

zest from 1 lemon

1/2 t. salt

2/3 stick soft butter (5 1/2 t.)

Grease and flour 9x13-inch pan and preheat oven to 375.

Batter:

Cream together sugar and butter until soft and light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat for a couple of minutes. Whisk together dry ingredients. Stir in the milk alternately with the dry ingredients and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Add 1/2 batter to bottom of pan. Distribute fruit over the batter, and top with remaining batter. Use butter knife to gently swirl through ingredients and distribute evenly.

For the streusel:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon zest and salt. Add the butter in small chunks, mixing to make medium-size crumbs. (You could use a pastry blender for this.) Scrunch together some of the streusel to make larger crumbs. Sprinkle streusel even over batter.

Bake fro 45 to 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan, on a rack. Serve alone, or with whipped cream or ice cream.

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

2009-06-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

As much as I buy huge containers of summer blueberries to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh blueberries out of hand, I eventually break down and end up making what people really want: blueberry muffins.

All of my close-up muffin glamour shots came out fuzzy, but trust me here folks, they were good. This recipe is from Nick Malgieri's The Modern Baker. His recipe says it makes 12, but I had enough for 18 regular sized muffins.

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Crumb Topping

1 c. flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/3 t. cinnamon

6 T. unsalted butter

1/2 c. brown sugar

Muffin Batter

2 1/2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg

8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 lg. eggs

1/2 c. milk

1 pint blueberries, rinsed, drained, and picked over

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (Note: if I were to do these again, I'd cook them at 350 - my muffin tops got a little too dark.)

2. For the crumb topping, combine the flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl and stir well to mix. Melt the butter in a small pan. remove from the heat, then add the brown sugar to the pan of melted butter and use a small heatproof rubber spatula to stir them together. Scrape the butter and sugar mixture into the flour mixture, stirring it in until the flour is evenly moistened. Set aside while preparing the muffin batter.

3. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl and stir well to mix.

4. Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, or until well mixed and a little lightened in color. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating smooth after each.

5. Decrease the mixer speed to low and beat in 1/2 the flour mixture. Stop the mixer and use a large rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl and the beater.

6. On low speed, beat in the milk. After the batter has absorbed the milk, beat in the remaining flour mixture. Stop and scrape down the bowl and beater again. Gently fold in the blueberries.

7. Remove bowl from mixer and give the mixture a final stir with a spatula to ensure everything is incorporated.

9. Divide batter in the lined muffin tins (I got about 18 muffins) and sprinkle topping evenly over tops of muffins. Bake 20-30 minutes, until muffins are well risen and feel firm to the touch. Cool the muffins in the pan on a rack.

Panzanella

2009-06-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

Our great neighbors Jeff & Kerry (a.k.a. "the boys") have an annual neighborhood fish fry. Yes, we're landlocked, and yet somehow, between the early summer thunderstorms and the boys' lush backyard garden, we got a little taste of Seattle in suburban Salt Lake City.

Everyone brought a dish to share: rich, creamy clam chowder, green apple slaw, coleslaw, green salad with avocados, crostini with spinach dip, herbed oven fries, some sort of amazing bean salad, fresh cut fruit. And the desserts! Brenda's lovely trifle with lemon pound cake, lime cheesecake, and texas sheet cake with walnut frosting. Walnut frosting!

Ed usually leaves the cooking to me, but for this occasion, he gently suggested: "make that bread salad that's freaking awesome." Okay, Ed!

This salad is inspired from Ina Garten's delicious Panzanella. The main technique that sets Ina's apart above other recipes is the extra step of crisping up the bread in some olive oil before adding it to the salad. The result is a savory, chewy, crispy bread that is really well seasoned and doesn't fall apart in the salad. Also be sure to use a nice Italian bread and not the cottony French bread you usually find in your store bakery.

The great thing about this salad is that you can adapt the ingredients to your tastes, as long as you have the basics of the bread and the vinaigrette.

Panzanella

For the croutons:

1 chewy Italian baguette, cubed

2-3 T. olive oil (extra virgin, can use a garlic flavored oil if you have it)

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1 garlic clove, smashed (optional)

For the salad:

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 to 1 English cucumber, cubed

1 yellow pepper, cubed (can also use red or orange)

3-4 tomatoes, cubed

20 fresh basil leaves, torn

handful fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

a few shavings of parmesan cheese (optional)

For the vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 cup good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

pinch of sugar

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread, salt, and pepper, and smashed garlic clove, if using; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed. Remove garlic. (You may have to do this in two batches.)

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and parsley.

This is where I get carried away with the camera. All of the vegetables looked so beautiful, starting with the onions.

No, they didn't fall on the cutting board like that, but I couldn't help myself.

Adding more vegetables...
Almost done...

Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Finish with a few shavings of parmesan cheese. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Tilapia Fish Tacos with White Sauce

2009-06-09T14:15:00.000-07:00

Time for My Favorite Taco, hands down.

For the toppings, I prepared

-shredded cabbage

-avocado slices

-pico de gallo (chopped onion, tomato, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, seasonings)

-white sauce (1/2 c. or so mayo, lime juice to taste, finely minced jalapeno, salt, pepper, pinch of cayenne)

-cheese, if you must

-Corn tortillas (while not as sturdy as flour tortillas) are the best match for the tacos, I think.

You can cook the fish any way you like, but I especially like frying as it lends a nice crunchy texture to the tacos. For the fish:

Set up a breading station: 1 bowl with 2 beaten eggs and a pinch of salt, 1 bowl with flour, and 1 bowl with panko bread crumbs.

Pan fry in a about 1/2-inch canola oil.
Heat some oil (about 1/2-inch high) in a cast iron pan or dutch oven.
Pat dry 3-4 tilapia filets and cut into strips. Dip in flour, then egg, then panko.
When oil is shimmering, add breaded fish and cook a couple of minutes on each side, depending on size of fish. I also hedged my bets by frying a few chicken tenders, just in case the kids revolted. Happily for me, they liked them both.

I have no words.

2009-06-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

I... I just really don't know what to say about this, other than that it might just be the most disgusting things I've ever seen. And I've seen some disgusting things.

I stole this from This is Why You're Fat. It is, apparently, the Domino’s Three Cheese Mac-N-Cheese Pasta Bread Bowl.

Imagine lifting the cardboard lid to find this. It's exactly the stuff they squeeze out of blocked arteries. The plastic fork is a nice touch. Good luck with that, my friend.

Any comments must include alternative carb-on-carb suggestions for Dominoes. Oh, I know: what about scraping some fake mashed potatoes in a bowl and topping it with congealed gravy, fried chicken, cheese, and corn! Oh, wait... that's already been done.

Okay Dominoes, what about a cheese fry pizza with fry dipping sauce? (With cheese-stuffed crust, of course.) Take that!

Pavlova, Baby!

2009-06-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

In my pathetic quest to find New and Interesting Desserts, I came across this lovely looking pavlova in Gourmet magazine.

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Berries

I had to make it. Here's how mine turned out.

Note the absence of blueberries. I'm not paying $3.99 for a pint of blueberries. Despite my fiscal snobbery, it turned out delicious. I love how the meringue is crispy on the outside and marshmallowy on the inside. How the lemon curd, lightened with cream, was still tart. It's really easy to make, and I can imagine all sorts of variations with this summer's fruit.

I can also imagine myself eating this with Alan Rickman in 17-century garb on the grand lawn of an English country manor while our dashing children frolic in the shrubberies.

So if you're feeling a little refined and want a change of pace from brownies, make this. You might just start talking with an accent.

Strawberry Rhubarb Double Crisp

2009-05-24T14:55:00.000-07:00

To me, great food is a study in contrasts, and this dessert is the queen of them all: the rosy color and sharp tartness of rhubarb, the juicy sweetness of strawberries, the sandy crunchiness of the oat crumble topping, and the smooth coolness of the ice cream as it melts over the warm, tender fruit.. This is my new "desert island" dessert.

This recipe is adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking. I've omitted the walnuts and crystallized ginger from the topping and the ground ginger from the filling, but if you're feeling adventurous, you could put them in. (For her version, add 1/2 c. walnuts and 1/4 c. chopped crystallized ginger for topping; 1/4 t. ground ginger in filling). My version also contains the zest of 1 orange.

It's a "double" crisp because half of the crisp mixture is pressed into the bottom of the pan. This creates a crust of sorts, but the crisp itself is so deliciously gloppy that it does nothing more than add more "crisp" to the party, which is never a bad idea.

Strawberry Rhubarb Double Crisp

For the crisp:

1 c. flour

1 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. old-fashioned oats

pinch of salt

pinch of cinnamon

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the filling:

1 lb (4-5 medium stalks) rhubarb, trimmed and peeled

3 T. cornstarch

1/2 c. cold water

3 c. strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

zest from 1 orange

whipped cream or ice cream to serve

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put a 9-inch square baking pan (Pyrex glass or porcelain is best) on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

For the crisp:

Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl and sift the ingredients through with your fingers. Pour over the melted butter. Using a fork, stir the ingredients until they are thoroughly moistened.

Spoon half the mixture into the pan and pat it down lightly to form a thick crust; set aside the remainder for the topping.

For the filling:

Slice the rhubarb into 1/2-inch pieces and scatter them oer the pressed-in base. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water; set aside. Put the strawberries and sugar in a medium saucepan and, with a for, pastry blender or potato masher, crush the berries. Place the pan over medium eat and, stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a full boil. Pour the dissolved cornstarch into the pan and, stirring with a whisk, bring everything back to a boil. Keep cooking and stirring until the strawberry filling is thick and no longer cloudy, about 3 minutes. Pull the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla and orange zest, and pour the filling over the rhubarb. Scatter the remaining crisp mix over the filling.

Slide the crisp into the oven and bake for 60 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the strawberry jam is bubbling up all around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature, with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Carbs, Glorious Carbs

2009-05-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, just a quick one. (Amanda, this is for you.)

Pasta in a bread bowl? Seriously? Does it come with an insulin injection and a very large bottle of water?

Culinary Tour of Grimsby

2009-05-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Fish & Chips, mushy peas, Tango. Source unknown.

No, that's not an oxymoron. British food is in the midst of a renaissance! Sadly, none of that kind of food is shown here. What is shown is a sampling of treats from Ed's recent trip to England to visit family for his parents 50th wedding anniversary.

Sidebar: I'm hanging up the apron for a couple of weeks. Actually, I'm just taking a brief blogging break as part of an experiment I'm doing for a church lesson. Stay tuned...

First, the lovely Jim and Freda Gilmore. Happy anniversary and thank you for raising such a fine son. (And, I might add, instilling in him a love for ironing and laundry, for which I will be forever grateful.)

Here's all of the Gilmore family. Top l-r: Steve, Jim, Freda, Trish, Linda. Bottom: Pete, Ed.

Because the Grimsby/Cleethorpes area is right on the coast, you get the best fish & chips in England. Better than London. Better than anywhere.

The coast may not be pristine, but it used to be one of the biggest fishing ports in the world, and can still crank out some excellent fish & chips.

Part of the seafront is the infamous Pier 39 Club you see in the distance. No food, I think, but I'd wager that Ed spent many nights dancing away here in his youth.

Ed also spent much of his youth (and adulthood) at Blundell Park cheering on the Mighty Mariners. I'm told of such culinary delights such as Snickers bars dipped in tomato soup and dodgy hot chocolate.

The final third of his youth was spent at The Smugglers pub chatting up girls, playing pool and darts, and getting his friends home safely.

Around the corner (on St. Peter's I think) is a fabulous candy store with all sorts of retro candy. Here are some ultra-sour sour apple candies that make your mouth water just thinking about them.

On the same street is the Ocean Bar, an excellent spot for great fish & chips.

This is what you get when you order a "full English" for breakfast.

Fortunately for Ed, his mom's version was very much toned down.

Ed was also treated to stuffed French toast the day he arrived at Trish's. Delicious!

Ed's brother Pete is apparently quite handy on the grill.

Linda couldn't resist going out and buying a famous cream dougnut.

Ed's mum is an excellent cook. Here was a nice lamb dinner she made for Ed & Linda.

Oatmeal Raisin Loaves

2009-05-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

I'm standing in my local grocery store, staring down the small loaf of raisin bread that is $4/loaf. I'm thinking, I don't have time to bake today, I should just buy it. For a moment, I almost give in. Then I take a deep breath and walk away, determined to make something cheaper and better. What a snob I've become. Wait a minute, do snobs really buy Western Family mac & cheese? Because that's what in my cart. I'm a conflicted woman.

I flipped through my beloved but neglected Baking in America, and found a recipe for oatmeal raisin bread. For you oatmeal haters out there, you really need to give this a try. There is no chunky oatmeal texture - it sort of just melts away into the dough and mellows out the whole wheat flavor. This dough uses whole wheat and white flour, oatmeal, and maple syrup for sweetness, so it's a great food storage recipe. I'm sure you could swap out the butter and milk for oil and powdered milk if you wanted.

Oatmeal Raisin Loaves

2 c. milk

1 1/2 c. cups quick oats (not instant)

4 T. butter

2 c. whole wheat flour

2 1/4 t. yeast (1 pkg.)

2 large eggs

1/3 c. pure maple syrup

1/4 c. water, plus more if needed (note: I used the soaking liquid from the raisins)

1 T. salt

3 1/2 c. white flour

1 1/2 c. golden and/or dark raisins (I soak the raisins to plump them up and use the soaking liquid for the water. I also give the raisins a rough chop before adding them to the dough.)

1. Bring milk to almost a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the oats and butter. Stir well with a wooden spoon until the butter melts. Cool until mixture feels just barely warm to the touch.

2. In a stand mixer scrape the oatmeal mixture into the mixing bowl and add the whole wheat flour, yeast, and eggs. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment for 5 minutes. Scrap the bowl and beater. (You could also do this by hand if you have those "Arm & Hammer" arms). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temp. until almost tripled in volume, about 1 to 1.5 hours.

3. Stir in maple syrup, 1/4 c. water, slat, and 1 c. white flour into the oatmeal mixture. Attach the dough hook, and kneading on low speed, add the remaining 2.5 cups. flour, (Note: I did not need to add all 3.5 cups flour.) 1/2 c. at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase the speed to medium and continue to knead 5 to 8 minutes until dough almost cleans the sides of the bowl and feels firm, smooth and elastic. Add a small amount of water or flour if necessary.

4. Oil a large bowl or container and transfer the dough to the bowl. Let rise at room temp. until almost tripled in volume, about 2 hours.

5. Butter or grease two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Knead raisins into risen dough and divide in half. Shape into loaves, place them in the pans, cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until centers have risen about 1-2 inches above the rims of the pans, about 1 hour.

6. About 30 minutes before the loaves are ready to bake, place them in the oven, leaving a few inches between the pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the loaves are well browned and sound hollow when you remove them from the pans and rap their bottoms. Naughtly loaves! Cool completely, if you can stand it, then wrap until airtight. Can store in freezer up to 1 month.

Scalloped Potatoes with Three Cheeses

2009-05-03T15:40:00.000-07:00

A while back I wrote about the highly contraversial topic of funeral food. Since then, I've had a desire to revisit our old forgotten friend, the scalloped potato. Shoved aside by frozen hash browns and creamed soup, the lowly scalloped potato has taked a back seat for years, even decades.
Scalloped Potatoes with Three Cheeses
This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbook authors, Rick Rogers. I was so happy with how it turned out. Sure, it takes a little time to cut all of those potatoes, but there is also something strangely redemptive about making something from milk, potatoes, flour, and cheese and have it taste so darn good.
Recipe notes:

This recipe lends itself well to improvisation. Add whatever cheese you want (and have) and embellish with herbs, ham, or vegetables.
I forgot to add the onion - it was still good
I switched out the blue cheese for the the tamer (and available in my fridge) monterey jack. It was still fabulous.
If you have a convection oven, use that setting as it gave the top a nice, crispy, burnished coat.
I was very liberal with the salt and pepper. You'll need more than you think. Take into account the saltiness of your cheese as well.

Tortilla Soup (sort of)

2009-05-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

"I want to tell you about the pleasure, the sheer unbridled joy, of cooking without a recipe".--Nigel Slater*

It was two days before payday and, let's be honest, the kitchen was not overflowing with fresh and exciting food. Poking through my fridge, I find: leftover chicken stock (from the risotto), some odds and ends of cheese, some romaine that desperately needs to be eaten, and some sad carrots. I do have half a bag of tortilla chips. What about a taco salad? Checking the freezer, I realize I have no ground beef. What I do have is lots of frozen chicken and some frozen green chiles from when I made chile verde a few months back. What about chicken tortilla soup?

Do I have the ingredients? Who cares, it's soup. I can do whatever I want. My standby soup recipe has zucchini, lime, cilantro, and black beans. I don't have any of that. In the basement storage room I find a can of mexican-spiced chopped tomatoes. That'll do.

Most soups start with some sort of mirepiox (onions, carrots, celery), so that's where I begin, sweating a chopped onion and some garlic in some oil. I chop about a cup of the defrosted green chiles and them to the onions. While that's cooking, I recall that it's good to "bloom" spices in the oil you're using as it helps bring out the flavor (as opposed to just adding them to the water), so I throw in some chile powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne.

While that's cooking, I chop up the sad carrots and throw them in the pot. I add the can of tomatoes, the leftover stock, and enough water until it looks like soup. I taste it. It tastes a little flat, so I add a little chicken bullion. The tomatoes add an unpleasant, "tinny" taste, so I add a little sugar. I taste it again. That's better.

I simmer until the carrots are tender, and taste again. It's pretty spicy, so I add a small can of sweet corn for contrast. Now for the "tortilla" part. I crush a couple of handfuls of tortilla chips and add them to the soup. This thickens the soup as well as adding that distinct flavor. Time to add some chicken. I season boneless, skinless chicken thighs and sear them in my non-stick pan. Cool, cube, and add to pot.

I taste again, adjust seasonings, and serve over tortilla chips and garnish with cheese and sour cream. I begin to feel the joy.

*Nigel Slater is one of my favorite food writers, and I echo his philosophy about instinctive cooking:

"Nigel is not a chef. His food is understated, straightforward home cooking that is easy to accomplish, without a trace of what he affectionately calls ‘cheffery’. He is not fond of fussy food and prefers simple suppers made with care and thought. He believes that making something good to eat for your self or for others can lift the spirits in the way little else can. “There is something quietly civilizing about sharing a meal with other people. The simple act of making someone something to eat, even a bowl of soup or a loaf of bread, has a many-layered meaning. It suggests an act of protection and caring, of generosity and intimacy. It is in itself a sign of respect.”

One of my favorite cookbooks: Appetite, Nigel Slater contains few recipes but rather the philosophy of eating and cooking pleasureably, without strictness or stuffiness. Curl up and read it.

Night of the Living Peeps

2009-04-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

Ed and I returned home the other night to find these little protestors on our doorstep.

That's right. Revenge of the Peeps, protesting their diminishing role in our household. Sure, they look cute. That's what they want you to think. Until you eat them, feeling all of the guilt and none of the satisfaction.
"Iron Homemaker Unfair"? Fair's where you see the pigs, my friends.

I had no choice. They haunt my dreams.

Pea & Bacon Risotto

2009-04-22T14:37:00.001-07:00

Last week the weather was still crappy. Still time to make risotto! I've never made risotto before, but I think it's high time. I found the perfect recipe on Epicurious.com for Pea and Bacon Risotto, so if you want the recipe, click the link.

The verdict? Ed and I loved it. The kids thought it was a little too rich. I didn't make anything to go with it and they were wondering where all the "meat" was. It's not that expensive to make, with the exception of the parmesan cheese. I still suggest not skimping on the parmesan. I bought an $8 lump of the real thing and we've been enjoying it all week, on salads, potatoes, garlic bread, etc.

I get all my ingredients together...

Who am I kidding? I'm no Pioneer Woman. I'm more like the Swedish Chef (Bork, bork, bork!). Still, I try and have some semblance of mise en place as I don't want to be frantically prepping ingredients while the risotto burns.

I brown the bacon and heat up a mixture of chicken broth and water. When the bacon is done, I add the garlic and a couple of shallots (shallots not included in recipe, but I had them on hand and one reviewer suggested the addition of an onion).

Toasting the rice...

I start adding the liquid a little at a time. Stirring. And stirring. And trying not to drop the camera in the pot...

Finally it was time to add the peas. Then the butter, parm, and lemon. By this point I probably overcooked it a bit as I anticipated my kids not appreciating "al dente" rice.

Still, it turned out creamy and rich. The addition of the lemon gave it a nice bright note in the face of so many rich ingredients. I'm going to make this again, but not for the kids. Anyone want to come over?

Bloody Peeps

2009-04-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

It's 10:40 p.m., and I hear the distant rustling of candy wrappers. "Bloody Peeps," Ed mutters quietly, giving in to their pillowy softness and sandy sugared coating.

I enter the room.

"Did you just say what I though you did?"

"Yes", he answers, his voice muffled by marshmallow.

"How many are left in the row?"

"Two."

"Give them to me."

I stare at them. They stare back. Eat me, they whisper.

That's it. The Peeps are going in the garbage. In the quiet of the night, my blood sugar racing, I can almost hear their muffled cries for help, clamoring for air under the refuse.

Nice Buns

2009-04-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Going to grandma's on a Sunday evening was a delicious tradition. As kids were were often cheeky enough to call grandma beforehand and ask timidy, "What are we havin', grandma?". She'd laugh and tell us the menu. She didn't have to tell us there would be rolls, because there were always rolls. It was the first smell that hit you when you walked in the door, and the last thing you grabbed before leaving, sneaking on more soft, tender crescent before hitting the road.

As we got older we were put in charge of taking the rolls out of the oven so the adults could stay at the table and talk. I remember the stick of butter, still resting in its wax wrapper next to the oven. If you took the rolls out, you were also in charge of buttering the tops, running that stick of butter back and forth as it melted in your hands.

Dinner Rolls

2 1/2 c. milk

1 stick (1/2 c.) unsalted butter (plus more for brushing)

1/2 c. sugar

2 t. salt

4 lg. eggs

1/2 c. water

5 t. instant yeast (I use SAF; you could also use 2 pkgs. regular yeast)

1/3 c. dry milk

8-9 1/2 c. flour

2-3 T. dough enhancer (optional)

1. Scald the milk. Pour into mixing bowl and add butter, sugar, and salt to help cool the mixture.

2. When the milk mixture has cooled a little more, whisk in the eggs.

3. When the milk mixture reaches lukewarm, add the yeast. If using instant yeast, just throw in the yeast and the water together. (If you're using regular yeast, you'll want to use the water to proof the yeast.)

4. Add the dry milk and most of the flour. Knead in your mixer, adding more flour a little at a time as needed. (You can knead by hand, but it will be difficult as this is a soft dough. This is a sticky dough, but not excessively so. Keeping the dough on the soft side will result in a more tender roll. )

5. Dump into oiled bowl and let rise until doubled. You can also do a slow rise in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

6. When dough is ready to shap, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

7. Gently push down down and knead a couple of times. Portion and shape rolls. If you want big, softball-shaped rolls, do 3-oz balls of dough. Otherwise, 2 oz is fine.

8. Place rolls on parchment-lined half sheet pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on roll size and shape.

9. Brush rolls with melted butter and sprinkle with a little kosher salt, if desired.

Soup for The Day After

2009-04-09T23:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had one of those days. It began happily enough, with a relief that I didn't have a jam-packed schedule. Sadly, it unraveled in one of those days where I didn't shower until 4:00 and ate almost everything that wasn't bolted down. Without divulging quantities, the day's menu consisted of bread, chocolate, chicken nuggets, diet coke, chocolate, crackers, toast, olives, and chocolate. After "dinner" I'd had enough and decided to run down to Sunflower Market to take advantage of double-ad Wednesdays and find something to fix my anticipated chocolate hangover.

I filled that cart with some amazing fruit and produce. I couldn't stop! 88-cent/pint blackberries. Pink grapefruit 4/$1. Eggplant, garnet yams, spinach, apples, mushrooms, kiwis, lemons, zucchini, onions, garlic, some beautiful little red potatoes.

I've been reading Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way, and he has a recipe for "instant vegetable soup". This is my take. Make it your own.

Mormon Hangover Soup

1. Saute a chopped onion and a minced clove of garlic in a little oil and/or butter. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, chop your vegetables and add them to to pot, adding the longer-cooking vegetables first. (Some people just add vegetables to water to broth and boil them, but I like to give some of the vegetables a quick saute first, especially the onions and garlic.

3. I added carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, zucchini and yellow squash.

4. And some water and chicken broth, enough to cover everything. Bring to a boil.

5. I blanched a whole tomato in the broth so I could peel the skin off, give it a fine chop, and add it back into the soup.

6. Simmer until vegetables until tender, checking and adding seasoning as you go. I added a dash of soy for depth and a good pinch of cayenne and black pepper.

At the last minute, add a handful of fresh baby spinach. Top with some shredded cheese and more pepper. This would also be good with fresh pesto or croutons.

Eat two bowls and feel instantly and entirely forgiven for the previous day's indiscretions.

An Artistic Diversion

2009-04-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a break from food today to tell you about an amazing artist and designer: my brother Clark Chamberlain.

Clark is not your run-of-the-mill graphic designer. He has such a breadth of experience--it will amaze you what he can do. I've included about .01% of his work below. To check out his full portfolio, click the link below.

Portfolio Home Page

Clark's email: clark.chamberlain@gmail.com

Logos and Graphic Design

(Click to enlarge.)

He did an amazing custom family tree for our family. Does your family want one?

Stage Events

Ever wonder why the Conference Center looks so amazing?

Or why a special event looks so good?

Concept Art and Illustration

Clark is one of the few designers that can actually illustrate. He's a classically trained artist that knows his stuff.

Retail Environments

Clark has done some really unique store environments.

Float Design

Ever wonder who does those cool floats in the Days of 47 Parade?

Hot & Sweet Roasted Butternut Squash

2009-04-02T23:17:00.000-07:00

Spring is terribly stubborn in arriving. Fine. I'll make a few winter dishes while I still can.

I love butternut squash. I love hot & sweet. I love roasting stuff. I ate the whole squash. This is roasted with maple syrup and hot sauce. It was good, but next time will change a couple of things. I felt that the squash was a little underseasoned. Next time, I will peel and cube the squash to expose more of the flesh to the seasonings. I think I'll add more hot sauce, too, or a little cayenne. And maybe bacon. (My mom always cooks squash with a strip of bacon on top. It is so good.)

This recipe is adapted from The Food Network Cookbook.

Hot & Sweet Roasted Butternut Squash

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Quarter and seed a butternut squash. (Or, peel and cut into large cubes.) Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Season squash with salt and pepper.

3. In a small saucepan or glass measuring cup in the microwave, heat 1/2 c. real maple syrup, 1-2 T. hot sauce, and 2 T. butter. Pour sauce over the squash, coating as much as you can.

4. Place in oven and turn squash ever 10 minutes to ensure even cooking and coating in the sauce. Cook for 30-40 minutes, or until tender and darkly caramelized.

Shopping at Wal-Mart Without Losing Your Soul

2009-03-25T21:44:00.001-07:00

Shopping at Wal-Mart may be a necessary evil, but in order to tip the great moral balance of the universe to the other direction, I also shop at Sunflower Market, frequent the seasonal farmer's markets, and grow what I can in my own garden.

Here are a few reasons why shopping at Wal-Mart is A-okay:

Sadly, my neighborhood Wal-Mart is plagued with criminal activity. I have a 50% chance of seeing a police car parked out front when I go to Wal-Mart. Going there ensures that there will be one more law-abiding shopper in the mix.

This was taken in the Wal-Mart parking lot. I have pondered about this picture more than I care to admit. What does it mean? Does the car owner love cowboy playboys, but loves Jesus more? Does Jesus love the playboy sinners? Does it represent moral dilemma of the owner? Going to Wal-Mart inspires me to ponder such things.

Speaking of, WWJS (Where Would Jesus Shop)? Whole Foods? I think not.

Amazingly, the employees are remarkably kind and helpful, even after dealing with hours of rude people and shoplifters. This gives me profound hope.

The greeter smiles at me every time I come in, and he means it.

I save money shopping there. Generally, I avoid the meat department (I'm a meat department snob), but snap up the $2 milk, cheap cereal, health and beauty products and other stuff. I'd like to think that my family can eat like I spend a lot of money when I really don't.

So yes, Wal-Mart can be a maddening exercise in frustration, but if you have your patience pants on, you'll do just fine. There will be times where you'll want to kill the:

-weight watchers lady who dumped every last box of the clearance fiber bars into her cart (I'm watching you!)

-mother who thinks that it's okay to shop with her kids at 2 a.m.

-couple who is alternatively fighting and making out

-gal who thinks it's okay to vomit in the drinking fountain (hat tip, Mrs. Bear Cub)

but you won't. You'll instead think of your pioneer forbearers and how they'd faint at the sight of such ease and convenience. It'll make your day. Always.

Birthday Potstickers

2009-03-17T21:36:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday, Beth! Tonight we feasted on pork potstickers and sweet & sour chicken. The potstickers are getting easier to make, although I would like to learn some different shaping techniques. This recipe is adapted from Ming Tsai's Pork Potstickers.

Pork Potstickers

1/2 small head Napa cabbage, finely chopped (can use food processor for this)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/8 teaspoon for seasoning
1/2 pound ground pork (not too lean)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (from 1/2-inch knob)
1 small carrot, coarsely shredded
3 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Asian (toasted) sesame oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
60 small gyoza (pot sticker) wrappers
1/4 cup canola oil

In large bowl, toss together cabbage and 3/4 teaspoon salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Transfer to clean dish towel or cheesecloth, gather ends together, and twist to squeeze out as much water as possible. Wipe bowl clean, then return cabbage to it. Add pork, ginger, carrots, scallions, and garlic and stir to combine.
In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, and egg, then stir into cabbage-pork mixture. Stir in pepper and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt.
On dry surface, lay out 1 gyoza wrapper, keeping remaining wrappers covered with dampened cloth or paper towel. Spoon 1 teaspoon filling into center, then moisten halfway around edge with wet finger. Fold moisture-free half of wrapper over moistened half to form open half-moon shape. To seal, using thumb and forefinger of one hand, form 6 tiny pleats along unmoistened edge of wrapper, pressing pleats against moistened border to enclose filling. Moistened border will stay smooth and will automatically curve in semicircle. Stand dumpling, seam-side up, on baking sheet and gently press to flatten bottom. Cover loosely with dampened cloth or paper towel. Form remaining dumplings in same manner.
In 10-inch, lidded, non-stick skillet over moderately high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking, then remove from heat and arrange pot stickers in tight circular pattern standing up in oil (they should touch one another). Cook, uncovered, until bottoms are pale golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, tilting skillet to distribute, then cover tightly with lid and cook until liquid has evaporated and bottoms of dumplings are crisp and golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons more water if skillet looks dry before bottoms are browned. Remove lid and cook, shaking skillet to loosen pot stickers, until steam dissipates, 1 to 2 minutes. Invert large plate with rim over skillet. Using pot holders, hold plate and skillet together and invert skillet. Remove skillet and serve pot stickers warm.

Death Warmed Over: The Food Order for my Funeral

2009-03-14T00:04:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer:
These comments in no way are meant to malign any funeral food or those sacrifice to make it, no matter what it is. If you want to be mean, wait until I'm dead.

In our ward we have a funeral about every two months. The menu is down to a science: ham, funeral potatoes, rolls, bagged salad, and cakes. It works, people like it, and yet, I find myself wanting to change the system. I am on the committee that organizes these luncheons, so I've had some time to think about this. I'm clearly psychotic.

A few weeks ago we were standing around the church kitchen during a funeral luncheon sampling the leftover funeral potatoes, guessing which condensed soups were used and how each one was a little different.

Then someone asked: "What did we do before funeral potatoes?"

We stood there, mouths stuffed with hash brown potatoes and cream of chicken soup. Silence.

Finally a lady in her 70's piped up. "What about scalloped potatoes?"

Oh yeah. Scalloped potatoes. Half of us pretended we knew what they were.

It got me thinking, what do I want served at my funeral luncheon? (Side note: don't be alarmed, I'm obsessed with food and death, so this is not a stretch. I planned my funeral when I was eight years old and think about food every 27 seconds.) While many of us have thought about what our last meal would be, what would you have people eat when they're thinking about you? (Other than them being mad because you so selfishly changed up the long-standing funeral menu.)

This is going to ruffle some feathers, but hey, I'll be dead so I don't care if you're mad.

Meat: No ham. I mean it. I like Losing me is bad enough without having to eat a nice thick slice of HAM. What about a nice pot roast or roast chicken? Even a chicken casserole would be lovely.

Potatoes: No canned soups. Go retro and make scalloped potatoes. Or real mashed potatoes.

Salad: I'm ambivalent about salad. This one you can do what you want. You're welcome.

Rolls: If anyone brings grocery store rolls I will personally come back from the dead and sneak them into the garbage. Please, can someone make some good homemade rolls? Cheers.

Dessert: Pies. Fruit pies. Apple, cherry, berry, with real fruit and real crust. Cakes are for celebration. Pies are for going home.

I think I need this book: Being Dead is no Excuse: the Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral.

Aw, who am I kidding? By the time I die we'll probably all be living off MREs, government cheese and canned beef chunks.

Addendum

I must add some foods that have made it on to the funeral food table of shame:

- A meatless meatloaf made from some sort of barley and soy product. It was so bad, we sat and laughed our guts out while the younger ones spat it back out on their plates. I don't think Aunt Till would have minded.

- A sad, half-set green Jell-O in a metal cake pan with 3 lonely pear halves sliding around in it.

And lastly, because it's better to be grateful than ungracious and snarky:

Thanks to the awesome Relief Society that served a luncheon for 170 family members when my grandpa passed away. Straight to heaven for you ladies.

California Salad

2009-03-05T15:19:00.000-08:00

I love remembering cooking fads, and I've been thinking about all of the salad fads that have come and gone. Let's take a journey.

In the 40's there were aspic salads, as in tomato and shrimp aspic. I'm glad I wasn't alive in the 40's. I also missed the heyday of molded Jell-O salads, ambrosia, and wooden salad bowls.

In the 70's it seemed every macaroni salad had those little salty shrimp, celery, olives, and loads of mayo. Don't forget the Seven Layer salad. If you showed up with one of those bad boys in a glass trifle bowl, you were a hit (well, until someone got a lump of the mayo layer). That was also about the time fruit salads started containing things besides fruit, like colored marshmallows, red jell-o powder, nuts, and cottage cheese.

In the 80's they started doing that spinach salad with bacon, mushrooms, and strawberries. So cutting edge! Then there was the Frito Salad, which made its appearance at more than a few church functions. Don't forget the ubiquitous chicken caesar salad, henceforth to remain on every menu in America for the next 20 years. Then it was Chinese chicken salad, broccoli/raisin salad, and 1000's of iterations of pasta salad. I will not discuss Suddenly Salad.

Now salad is out of control. Everything is a salad. Snickers salad, anyone? Did a six-year-old invent that one? Tasty it is; a salad it ain't. Roasted beets and goat cheese (so 2004), herbs and microgreens, berries and jicama. Ever been to a restaurant and say demurely, "oh, I'll just have a salad", and they cart out something that would feed a family of eight?

I don't have much to say about this salad, except that it's delicious, fresh, and perfect in the winter. Crisp romaine and red onions, creamy avocado, and fresh citrus in a sweet and tangy dressing. Make it while grapefruits are still 4/$1.

California Salad

For the salad:

2-3 hearts of romaine, washed and chopped

1/2 lg. red onion, thinly sliced

2-3 avocados

2-3 oranges, cut into supremes

1-2 pink grapefruits, cut into supremes

These proportions are rather loose, so just use as much as you want of whatever you want. I like to go heavy on the avocado and citrus, but you do want you like. I also like to scoop out the flesh of the avocado with a spoon so it makes rounded pieces rather than cut-up shapes. How to make citrus supremes. (That is not me.)

For the dressing:

1/3 to 1/2 c. sugar (to taste)

1/2 t. dry mustard

1/2 t. paprika (not smoked)

pinch of cayenne (to taste)

3/4 c. salad oil

1/2 c. white wine vinegar

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. grated onion

salt and pepper to taste

Pour everything in food pro or use and immersion blender in a tall glass jar (I use a wide-mouth canning jar). Make sure you taste the dressing and adjust the sweetness and acidity to your liking. Dress the salad immediately before serving. You'll likely have some leftover dressing to save.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips

2009-03-03T13:34:00.001-08:00

Remember the scene from Ratatouille where the critic has an out-of-body experience when he eats a favorite childhood dish of ratatouille? He is transformed to a scene from childhood where the food his mother made gives him comfort and salve from a sore knee. Somehow, eating that once again gave him a taste of that same peace and comfort, and the effect is both shocking and touching.

That's what happens to me when I eat these cookies.

I remember walking home from school (my mother hardly ever picked us up; walking is good for you!) and entering the back door to the smell of these cookies. She'd stir up the batter in her big yellow tupperware bowl and the countertop would be covered with dozens and dozens of cookies. They were always made in big batches, as in, at least 100. Anything less would hardly be worth it when you have seven kids. These cookies kept well, but she'd always bag most of them up and put them in the basement freezer to be taken out for sack lunches or hungry teenagers who were too lazy to go upstairs for a snack. I remember studying at my desk and chewing my way through a sack of these sweet, spicy cookies.

We didn't buy many store-bought cookies in those days. Animal crackers occasionally crept in, Mother's Molasses cookies made it if they were on sale, and there would be hell to pay if you dared to take a Mystic Mint from the secret cupboard. But my mother made these cookies by the hundreds.

These cookies are not going to win any beauty contests. Don't you dare use an ice cream scoop to fill your cookie sheets -- a hefty tablespoon will do just fine. If you have an old tupperware bowl, get that out too. Don't overbake them (they should look a little wet on the top when taking them out of the oven). Store between paper towels in your favorite cookie tin. They taste better (and moister) the next day. And when you eat them, think of your mother, and how she looked when you walked in the door, like sweet, soft angel.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips

1. c shortening

1/2 c. unsalted butter (if it's 1975, us all shortening)

3 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

3 c. mashed bananas

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

1 1/2 T. cinnamon

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/2 t. cloves

1 t. allspice

3 c. flour

2 c. oats (if using old fashioned oats, blend half of half of them in your food processor. Or not.)

1 c. nuts

2 c. chocolate chips (or 1 1/2 c. chopped raisins)

Cream shortening/butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mashed bananas. Sift together dry ingredients and stir into banana mixture. The dough is going to look a little loose, more like a batter. You can add more flour if you want but I prefer to refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hour or overnight.

Scoop onto parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 13 minutes. Let finish baking on trays. Don't overbake.

Eat This, Macaroni Grill

2009-02-25T18:03:00.000-08:00

So in Sunday's paper there's a huge ad for Macaroni Grill, and they're promoting this Pollo Limone Rustica for only $9.99. Sounds lovely, but there's now way I'm waiting 40 mintues and dropping an eventual $40 to eat mediocre bread and overpriced pasta. As I read the description, I realize that I have almost everthing in the house to make this myself. Here's the description:

"Tender grilled chicken and imported penne pasta sauteed in a lemon basil sauce with fresh spinach and roasted red peppers. Finished with fresh lemon zest and baked until golden."

Oh dear. I have a few problems with this dish.

First of all, Macaroni Grill people, what is so "rustic" about boneless, skinless chicken breasts? I know, a lot of people get really freaked out with meat that actually has the bones in it, but get over it people. It's meat! Alright, alright, I'll use boneless chicken thighs, which are cheaper and more flavorful than breasts.

In addition, I'll bet these boneless, skinless breasts are pre-grilled with generic seasonings and then added to the sauce with the pasta. I'm going to brown the thighs and finish cooking them right in the sauce.

Second, "imported penne"? Yawn. Name one person that could tell the difference in a side-by-side taste test. Imported cheese? Lovely. Imported pasta? I just can't get excited about it.

The lemon basil sauce sounds good. I wonder if it's a cream-based sauce. Well, I have some cream, so it is now!

Third, "finished with lemon zest and baked until golden". Why would you want to bake a topping of lemon zest? Isn't the whole point of lemon zest to impart some fresh flavors at the last minute? Don't bake the zest, for heavens sake! For that matter, don't bake it at all. It'll make the pasta dry and chewy, and I hate that.

I even have a jar of roasted red peppers. I didn't roast them myself, but something tells me neither did the fine folks at Macaroni Grill. I also have a bag of rapidly-blackening basil, so time is of the essence. Now that I've used up my yearly allotment of exclamation points I realize it's time to get down to business.

The recipe is based roughly on Emeril's Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs but altered to accommodate my tastes and the restaurant's ingredients. In short, it turned out great, it was not that expensive to make, and it served 7-8 people. The sauce was tangy and creamy without being too rich, and the chicken was tender and flavorful. Eat that, Macaroni Grill!

Chicken Thighs with Lemon Basil Cream Sauce and Linguine

5-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

salt and pepper to season chicken

2/3 c. flour (for dredging)

1/4 c. olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

pinch of red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy)

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 to 2 c. chicken broth (good quality, low sodium)

2 lemons, zested and juiced (you should have about 1/2 c. lemon juice)

1/2 c. fresh lemon juice

1 roasted red pepper, diced

1/2 c. (or so) cream

1 c. fresh chopped basil

handful fresh baby spinach (I'm going to say this is optional, because I forgot to put it in and it was still good.)

1 lb pasta (I used linguine but you could use whatever you have) Note: I cooked all of the pasta but only used about 2/3 of the noodles in the dish. You would be safe cooking only 10 oz. of pasta.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the 1/4 c. olive oil in a large saute pan. Season the chicken thighs and dredge in flour. When oil is hot (but before it starts smoking), brown thighs for a few minutes on each side. While thighs are browning, prepare onions and garlic.

Remove thighs to a plate and saute onions, garlic, pinch of red pepper flakes and 1/2 t. salt until tender, about 3-4 minutes. While onions are cooking, zest and juice lemons. Set zest aside. Add the lemon juice and broth and stir to combine. Return thighs to the pan, cover with lid, and place in oven for about 20 minutes. (Alternatively, cook at a light simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.)

Remove pan from oven, uncover, and simmer lightly an additional 15 minutes. The flour from the chicken thighs should slightly thicken the sauce.

While chicken is cooking, prepare pasta according to package instructions.

Remove thighs to a cutting board. Add cream, chopped basil, spinach, and red peppers to sauce whisking to incorporate. Taste for seasoning and add water, cream, or broth as necessary.

Cut thighs into strips and return to pan. Add cooked pasta, turning to coat in sauce. (You will likely not use the entire 1 lb of pasta.) If the sauce had thickened too much, add some pasta water. Toss in lemon zest and fresh basil, and serve.

Green Chile Pork Stew with Potatoes

2009-02-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

File this one under the "something new" category. I was craving mexican food, particularly the great smothered burritos and soft tacos you can get at La Puente. Their "smothered" sauce is a delicious pork chile verde. I haven't replicated it here, but what I have done is create a darn good chile/stew that was perfect on a cold February evening. It's a little work, but so are a lot of things that are this good. This recipe is adapted from the Culinary Institute of America Cookbook.

Green Chile Pork Stew with Potatoes

2 T. canola oil

2 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes

salt and pepper as needed

2 large yellow onions, diced

1 T. minced garlic

6 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. tomato puree (can also use fresh tomatillos)

3-4 fresh poblano chiles, roasted, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 T. mild red chile powder

1 t. cumin

1 t. Mexican oregano

2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and finely minced

2 t. green tabasco sauce

1 t. white vinegar

3 c. cubed russet potatoes, peeled

2 c. cooked cannelini beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 c. chopped cilantro

3 T. chopped flat leaf parsely

Heat the oil in a casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers. Season the port with salt and pepper and saute until lightly colored on all sides. Transfer the pork to a plate or dish using a slotted spoon, allowing most of the oil to drain back into the pan. Return the pan to the heat, add the onions and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.

Return the port and any juices it may have released to the pan. Add the broth, tomato puree, poblanos, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Bring the liquid to a boil. Immediately adjust the heat to a gently simmer. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add the jalapenos, Tabasco, vinegar, potatoes, and beans. Continue to stir, covered, until the potatoes and pork are very tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in cilantro and parsley.

Apple Crumble Nostalgia

2009-02-15T22:11:00.000-08:00

This is one of those "duh" recipes. Why don't I just blog about toast, right? Nothing earth-shattering, except that it is. When was the last time you ate apple crisp? If it has been more than a few months, I have to say, What's wrong with you people? Warm, tangy-sweet apples and crisp/crunchy oat topping. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, you have achieved the near-perfect desert: sweet/tangy, crunchy/soft, cool/warm, creamy/crispy.

It's also triggers some powerful nostalgia. My mom would scoop hot apple crisp into mugs and pour in some cool milk. (Little did we know it was because we weren't extravagant enough to have cream. We just thought it was how it was done.) Everything in the mug moved from hot and cold to a comfortingly warm mixture of apples, milk and crumble topping. There was usually enough milk left to "drink" the last of the dessert.

So if you're wondering what to make for dessert that costs less than $3, make this. It will make you feel like freaking Julia Child, peeling those apples by hand. It will redeem you from all of that boxed garbage you've made in the past. Finally, your family will just maybe look back 30 years from now, remember it, and think of you.

Apple Oatmeal Crumble

Topping:

2/3 c. flour

1 1/2 c. oats

1 c. light brown sugar

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter

3/4 c. chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds or pecans)

Fruit

2 lbs apples (about 7 or 8 apples; I like to use 1/2 granny smith, 1/2 golden delicious)

2-4 T. light brown or white sugar

2 T. flour

1/2 t. vanilla

freshly grated nutmeg (just a little)

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of salt

For the crumble, whisk the flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave, add to flour mixture, and toss together with a fork. Stir in nuts. Squeeze handfuls of the crumble together and drop them onto a cookie sheet to get a good proportion of large and small crumbs. Freeze for 10 minutes while preparing the fruit. (Or, be lazy like me and just chuck the mixing bowl into the freezer.)

Peel, core, and slice the apples. Toss in large bowl with the sugar, flour, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Transfer to an 8x8 or 9x9-inch pan. Dump crumble topping over the fruit.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Let set 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Poor Man's Steak Dinner

2009-02-14T20:51:00.000-08:00

Why go out for a steak on Valentine's day? By the time you pay the babysitter, you could be out over 75 bucks. Find a good price on ribeyes and make these in about 20 minutes. Two of these steaks cost me about $10. Add a baked potato and a salad and you have steak dinner for two for less than $15. What about the kids, you say? Give them a stack of disney movies and a $5 Little Caesar's pizza and lock them in the basement.

Ribeyes with Mushrooms

Heat a heavy-bottomed pan to medium-high heat and add 1 T. unsalted butter and 1 T. olive oil. (If you have large pan and are cooking two steaks, add more butter and oil. I like to use my cast iron pan or my heavy aluminum pan.

Pat dry steaks and season well with salt, pepper, and your favorite seasonings.

Add to hot pan and cook 5-8 minutes. Don't move steaks until you get a really good sear. Flip steaks over and cook other side 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness. If your steaks are really thick, you may want to finish cooking them in a low oven.

Remove steaks to plate, cover them with foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes.

Now don't waste all that flavor left in the pan. Make a pan sauce or a mushroom topping like I did.

If you want a mushroom topping add 2 c. sliced mushrooms to same pan. Add a little more butter and/or oil, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the brown bits. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Cook until well-browned. If you need to add a little liquid to help deglaze the pan, add some water or chicken stock.

Dump mushrooms over steak and serve. These were as good or better than anything we could have bought in a restaurant.

Pasta with Asiago "Cream" Sauce

2009-02-12T09:39:00.000-08:00

No, this is not cat food.

I had no food in the house. Well, I had some leftover Asiago cheese, a half box of mini penne pasta, and various and sundry pantry ingredients. I had a vague recollection of a pasta dish with an Asiago cream sauce, and sure enough, here it is. But 2 1/4 c. of heavy cream? Are you serious? Forget it. I'm making up my own recipe.

1. First, find some chicken. Here are 3 options:

Good: Grill or pan fry some boneless skinless chicken breasts

Better: buy a Costco rotisserie chicken and pull off the meat. Save half for sandwiches.

Best (and cheapest): roast a couple of bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and olive oil

2. Cook your pasta, drain, and set aside.

3. In a large skillet (if you did the "good" option above, use the same pan you cooked your chicken in and leave in the brown bits) start a roux. I used about 1/3 c. flour and 1/4 c. butter. Cook the roux for a couple minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat about 2 c. milk in a pyrex cup in the microwave. Whisk hot milk into the roux. Add large pinch of chicken bullion. Season with salt and pepper. I also added a shot of fat-free half & half. You could also use evaporated milk or cream.

5. When roux begins to thicken, whisk in 1 c. grated asiago. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings. (It will likely need salt, unless your cheese is already very salty.)

6. Add whatever embellishments you want. I added 1/2 bag frozen peas, a handful of chopped ham, and the 2 c. cubed chicken.

7. Stir in pasta, heat thoroughly and serve.

Flatbread Sandwiches with Grilled Chicken and Avocado Cucumber Salad

2009-02-10T08:54:00.000-08:00

I've decided to pretend it's summer, and least when it comes to this meal preparation. I'm all about eating seasonally, but after weeks of cold, depressing weather I needed something to eat that reminds me of summer. I wish I could say I made the flatbread, but I didn't.

The chicken isn't "grilled", either - just IQF chicken breasts seasoned and pan fried. (I wasn't in the mood to scrape snow off the barbecue. How I wish I had one of those fancy stoves with a built-in grill and griddle.) The best part, I think, is the salad and greek tzatziki sauce. These would also be good with some spinach and feta cheese.

Avocado Cucumber Salad

1/2 English cucumber

1 c. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 red onion, diced

1 T. fresh tarragon

1 t. grated lemon zest

freshly sqeezed lemon juice (1-2 T.)

1/2 t. kosher salt

pinch cayenne pepper

1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled and diced.

Toss cucumber, tomatoes, onion, tarragon, lemon zest and juice, salt, and cayene pepper in a serving bowl. Toss in avocado. (Note: I didn't have tarragon so I didn't use it. But I did have bacon!)

Tzatziki Sauce

2 c. thick Greek yogurt

3 to 10 cloves garlic, finely chopped (to taste)

1/2 c. diced or grated cucumber

1 T. olive oil

1 T. lemon juice

salt and pepper, to taste

chopped mint or dill, optional

Oh, and don't forget the sweet potato fries. They go with everything!

Grandma Treats

2009-02-08T21:19:00.000-08:00

Last week we lost our dear Grandma Ginny. I can think of no better way to honor her than to remember what she did best: love and feed her family.

This is her infamous roast pot. Roast was usually the meat du jour on for Sunday dinner. Her old gas oven magically produced the most perfect, dark, burnished, tender roast that, like the loaves and fishes, fed as many as it needed to.

Last week I made a roast in her honor. She taught me to season it well and give it a long, dark sear before putting it the oven with a few onions and just a little water. Cook it for at least 3 hours at 300 degrees.

Grandma was an expert pie maker. She always brought pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving in this shallow, wide pan. She encouraged me to bake and was always so generous in her compliments. We loved to talk about recipes and we'd always discuss Saturday's food shows on a Sunday evening.

We never left grandmas without a treat. It was a rule. She always said, "No one leaves my house hungry." She always had a candy jar, a cookie tin, or a super-secret stash of chocolates in her top dreser drawer. She knew how to entertain, but she would never use the word "entertain". She just fed us like crazy and loved us even more.

How we will miss that roast, and your potato salad, tender homemade crescent rolls, marshmallow brownies, raisin bars, zucchini bread, homemade chile sauce made in your food grinder, real Cokes, scalloped potatoes, cucumbers in vinegar, your simple green salad that always tasted better than anyone's, pickled beets, strawberry shortcake, clam chowder, ham and bean soup, franks & beans, date pinwheel cookies, endless bags of potato chips, that magical mixture of lime-aid and strawberry punch, the glass of Tampico after mowing your lawn, a lunch of hamburger patties and cottage cheese in the middle of a work day, your chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles, bags of homemade peanut brittle, penoche, and caramels and Christmas, savory pork roasts, little pizzas on english muffins, oven fried chicken, macaroni salad with little shrimp, celery, and olives, popsicles in the summer, clam chowder in the winter, pickles, pickles, pickles all year long.

This is the true story of Sunday nights and grandma's house:

For almost a century, the warm, soft air of this house draws us like children to the piper. We are led to this house by spirits gone past, bringing us back to the places of our childhood, leading us to this sanctuary. Children have slept on this grass, boys have wrestled in these rooms and strangers have partaken within these walls. These rooms bear the joys and burdens of birth and death, and quiet bowl of bottled cherries with family.

Coke bottles are tossed slantwise in the snow, beads of water stream down the kitchen window, and grandma's hands run butter over the hot rolls. We ride in the wheelbarrow, play whiffle ball in the thick warm grass, hang from the clothes line and pretend under the boughs of the tall evergreen. We can hear the lid of the silver candy dish, the squeak of the towel rod and the whir of the cooler. We can rest our eyes on heavy pink roses. We can smell the perfect roast. What things we have learned sitting in the shade of the little white house as the cars thump and creep their way home.

What brings us here is more than all these things. We come down because we belong here. And while the streets have changed, this house will outlast them all, standing guard on this little corner of Navajo Street.

And now that the light on Navajo street is dark and the contents of this house scattered into our own homes like seeds, we begin anew. We take your pots, your dishes, your chairs and your love, and we nourish these seeds you have planted and we welcome all as our own. We will always have our Navajo streets, where we eat a little too much, laugh a little too hard, and stay just a little too long.

Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake

2009-01-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to make this one for awhile: a soft, cake-like brownie generously topped with a sticky, gooey, caramel pebbled with salty peanuts. When I learned that some friends would be coming over last night, I thought it would be a fine opportunity to make this treat. After all, it's not a good idea to make something like this when you are, apparently, on a diet and have nobody to share it with.

This dessert provides enough contrast to be interesting: the dark chocolate brownie-cake, which is light, soft, and moist, and a salty/sweet/crunchy topping. When you serve this, be generous with the topping--it's the best part.

You'll have lots of leftover caramel with this recipe. Save and use it as an ice cream topping or just eat straight out of the fridge with a spoon for that secret late-afternoon pick-me-up. (Not that I have ever done that...)

Recipe notes: This recipe is from Dorie Greenspan's Baking, a great all-around baking book.

* I added a couple of extra tablespoons of flour to the batter to compensate for the high altitude (I live at 5500 feet).

*I used semisweet chips rather than bittersweet chocolate, and it turned out fine. However, I wouldn't use milk chocolate. You need a dark chocolate to offset the sweet topping.

*Don't despair when your brownie cake stays risen on the sides and falls in the middle. That's what the one in the picture looked like, and that's what mine looked like, too.

*I also used an 8" square pan instead of a 8" round springform pan and it turned out fine. Rather than topping the entire cake, I served the cake in squares and topped them individually.

*When making the caramel topping, be sure to let the water/sugar/corn syrup mixture get to a deep amber. But be careful, because it seems like it takes forever to get there, and once it gets going, it darkens very fast.

Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake

For the cake:

1 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3 lg. eggs

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. sugar

3 T. light corn syrup

1/2 t. vanilla

For the topping:

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. water

1 1/2 T. corn syrup

2/3 c. heavy cream

2 T. unsalted butter at room temp

1 c. salted peanuts

To make the cake:

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together. Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, put the butter and chocolate in the bowl and heat, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients are just melted -- you don't want them to get so hot that the butter separates. remove the bowl from the heat.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugars together until well blended. Whisk in the corn syrup, followed by the vanilla. Whisk in the melted butter and chocolate. Still working with the whisk, gently stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. you will have a thick, smooth, shiny batter. Pour the batter into the pan and jiggle the pan a bit to even out the batter.

Bake the cake fro 40 to 45 minutes (mine was done earlier than that), or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cook the cake for 15 minutes, then run a blunt knife between the cake and the pan and remove the sides of the pan. During baking, the cake probably will have puffed to the top of the pan; don't be concerned if it sinks a little or if it develops a little crater in the center. Cool the cake to room temperature.

When the cake is completely cook, invert it, remove the base of the pan and peel off the paper. Wash and dry the pan and return the cake to right side up. Refasten the sides around the cake. (Or, ignore all of this silliness and just bake it in a square pan and serve the squares with the topping.)

To make the topping:

Put the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir just to combine the ingredients and then put the pan over medium-high heat. Heat, without stirring, until the caramel turns deep amber, to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your saucepan and the intensity of the heat. As the sugar is caramelizing, wipe down any splatters on the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. to test the color of the caramel, drop a bit on a white plate. Don't be timid about the color -- if it's to pale, it won't have much taste.

Lower the heat a bit and, standing back from the pan, add the cream and butter. when the spatters are less vehement, stir to calm down the caramel and dissolve any lumps. Stir in the peanuts, and pour the caramel and peanuts into a 1 quart Pyrex measuring cup or heatproof bowl.

You've probably got more caramel than you need, but you want to get all the peanuts on the cake, so spoon the peanuts out of the caramel and onto the cake. After you've done that, pour or spoon on enough caramel to cover all the nuts. You'll have a layer about 1/4 inch high, give or take a bit. Allow the topping to set at room temp - about 20 minutes - before serving.

Thai Rice Noodles

2009-01-18T14:16:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like there's not enough time to try new things, and that our days are filled with too much routine? Well, that's the way I feel about cooking and baking. I look at my collection of cookbooks and there are so many things I want to try, and yet I find myself still making the same old stuff. I even did the math once: if I live fifty more years and try one new recipe per week, I'll get through 2600 recipes. While that may sound like alot, it doesn't come close to all of the cookbooks I hope to get through.

This week's new recipe is the Thai Rice Noodles from the Food Network Kitchens Favorite Recipes. I love pad thai and I was hoping that this would be a similar dish.

Rice Noodle Nerves

I approach using rice noodles with some fear, as I have tried to use them in the past and they have turned out very chewy. Perhaps my soaking method was inadequate. Worried about repeating that mistake, I purchased the thin rice stick noodles rather than the medium-thick ones called for below. That may have been a mistake, but I saw some noodle recipes that call for them and I thought it would be an acceptable substitution. I covered the noodles in hot water and soaked them for about 45 minutes, but even these noodles seemed to have an odd texture (not the smooth texture I was expecting). Does anyone know what I did wrong? Still, they were edible so I continued with the dish.

Don't Fear the Fish Sauce

I had already purchased fish sauce for some Thai curries that I did over the summer, and it contributed a really nice flavor to them. However, the 3 tablespoons of fish sauce in these noodles may have been too much for me. I wasn't able to taste the garlic, jalapeno, and ginger I had also put in, and the noodles seemed to absorb much of that sauce. (Again, do I have a noodle problem?) Next time, less fish sauce.

The verdict: I went with basil instead of mint, and added some shredded rotisserie chicken. Overall, I thought it was pretty good but was disappointed by the odd texture and unusual flavor and think that these may have been due to "user error". I'd give it 2.5 stars out of five.

Lessons for next time: Part of being a good cook is figuring out what makes a dish succeed or fail. I'm going to try this recipe again with different noodles, less fish sauce, and more vegetables. Trying this new recipe has been instructive and I hope to have more success next time.

Thai Rice Noodles

8 to 10 oz. medium-thick rice noodles (also called rice sticks or jantaboon)

3 T. fish sauce

3 T. sugar

3 T. soy sauce

2 T. peanut oil

4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

1 jalapeno, stemmed and finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed peeled, and roughly chopped

1 c. mung bean sprouts

2 handfuls fresh mint or basil leaves (about 1 cup)

1/2 c. cashews or peanuts

1 lime, cut into wedges

Put rice noodles in bowl with hot w, add a cup or sof of quick -cater to cover. Soak until tender and pliable, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the fish sauce, sugar, and soy sauce; set aside.

Drain the noodles and set aside. heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the oil and when hot, add the scallions, jalapeno, garlic, and bean sprouts. Cook, stirring until the vegetables begin to brown and the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sauce mixture; gently swirl around the pan. Ad the drained noodles and toss to coat them with the sauce. Remove the skillet from the heat and coarsely tear the mint into the skillet. Sprinkle in the nuts. Toss a few more times to incorporate the mint and nuts and mound into a large serving bowl. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.

To upgrade the dish, try the following: toss in 1 to 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, extra-firm tofu cubes, thinly sliced cooked pork tenderloin, or 1 lb. ready-to-eat shrimp. Or, add a cup or so of quick-cooking vegetables. You could also add some chopped ginger with the garlic, 1/4 c. canned coconut milk, or sprinkle on some chopped chiles before serving.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

2009-01-13T20:49:00.000-08:00

What to do with the leftover pineapple? It was good enough to eat out-of-hand, but I couldn't resist making it into a cake. It is difficult to get through a long Sunday afternoon without baking something.

I normally make this cake with a recipe from Baking in America that uses a buttermilk batter, but I didn't have any buttermilk. I found an alternative recipe in King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion. The cake batter is a geniose-type batter, meaning you beat the eggs first until their thick then add the sugar and rest of the ingredients. This batter also doesn't have any added fat, if you don't count the butter that's melted on the bottom of the pan.

I sometimes worry when I make these types of cakes as they are a departure from the familiar creaming method, but this one turned out nicely. Remember that your eggs must be room temp or slightly warm for best results. Also, I used fresh rather than the canned pineapple called for in the recipe. The cake was light and spongy with the butter/brown sugar/pineapple mixture adding just enough moisture and richness to balance it out. All it was missing was a little whipped cream. It's not a tall cake, so don't freak when you turn it out onto a plate.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

5 T. butter

1/2 c. dark brown sugar

1 can (16 oz) pineapple rings (I used fresh pineapple)

12-16 maraschino cherries (I didn't use these)

16-20 pecan or walnut halves (I would have used these, but the kids were eating this cake)

1 c. reg. or cake flour (I used cake flour)

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/3 c. reserved pineapple juice (I extracted some from the fresh pineapple and added water)

1 1/2 t. vanilla

2 eggs

2/3 c. sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the butter and place the pineapple on top. Arrange the cherries and nuts on top, if using.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside. Combine juice and vanilla and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until they're thick and lemon-colored and the whisk leaves tracks as it travels through them. With the mixer still running, gradually sprinkle in te sugar. Add the juice, then slow down the mixer. Add sifted dry ingredients all at once and beat on medium speed for one minute.

Pour the batter over the prepared fruit in the pan. Bake the cake for 45 minutes until its center springs back when touched lightly and it is barely pulling away from the edges of the pan. (Note: my cake was done at 40 minutes.) Invert onto a serving plate and leave the pan on top for 5 minutes while the hot toppings drip down over the cake.

For Laura:

Caesar Dip with Crudités

Makes about 12 appetizer servings

Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon anchovy paste
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
Assorted fresh vegetables, such as romaine hearts separated into leaves, carrot, celery, and cucumber sticks, mushroom caps, cherry tomatoes, and Garlic Crostini (page 12), for dipping

To make the dip, mix together all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

To serve, transfer the dip to a serving bowl and serve with the vegetables.

Pineapple Express

2009-01-11T20:44:00.000-08:00

I'm not the best at meal planning, often buying what looks good at the store and spending half an afternoon what to do with I brought home. So I grabbed a pineapple for a great deal and picked up a rotisserie chicken from Costco. (Side note: never, ever go to Costco on a Saturday afternoon. It will make you grouchy and poor. I went in for cheese and came out with dish detergent, toiletpaper, cheese, an area rug, and lounge pants. Yes, lounge pants. I'm so ashamed.)

So what to make with with pineapple and rotisserie chicken? Some sort of Hawaiian chicken salad? Nah. Haystacks? Too involved. What about some "pulled chicken" sandwiches with seared pineapple and bbq sauce? Alrighty!

Ed's version.
The kids' toned-down version.

What made these good: a quick sear of the pineapple on a hot non-stick pan gave the pineapple a nice color and flavor; the red onion and lettuce lended color and texture.

What would have made them better with more time or resources: bacon (of course), topping them with a chile/garlic mayonnaise or a tangy coleslaw (a la pulled pork sandwich), homemade bbq sauce, toasting the buns, and maybe seasoning the pineapple with a little cayenne or chile powder before searing.

A Clean Plate

2009-01-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of the new year, I'd like to dump the few remaining food pictures that have been waiting patiently to be blogged. I'm going to save myself 4 hours and not include recipes, but let me know if you want me to post one. Ready, set, go!

Blackberry Hand Pies from Gourmet. For the filling: heat 2 cups blackberries, 1 grated golden delicious apple, sugar to taste (1/4 to 1/2 c.), pinch of salt, cinnamon if you want, and 2 T semolina (or other) flour. Use your favorite crust. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or so.
My mom's amazingly retro Christmas cookie cutters. Something about them gives me major warm fuzzies. No, the one on the lower left is not a uterus.
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Dough

Coconut Brownies and Lemon Bars

Dinner at Britton's. Yum.

Caprese Salad

Carrot Cake
Clean out the fridge chef salad

Chicken Parmesan

Cranberry Galette

Penne with Mini Garlic Meatballs

German Oven Pancake. I love breakfast-dinners.

Grilled Potatoes with Fresh Herbs

Guacamole - on my list of "desert island" foods.

Nothing says I love you like a jam tart made from pastry scraps.

Oatmeal raisin scones with sugar/cinnamon topping. These are like big, soft, cakey oatmeal cookies. Great with a glass of cold milk, and I don't really like milk.

Making my mom's Sunday pot roast.

Adding the vegetabls. Coat them in dry onion soup mix or au jus powder.

Roast Chicken with aromatics

Roast Potatoes

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Sour Cream Apple Pie

Banana Custard Tart

Cream of Potato Soup

2008-12-17T12:51:00.000-08:00

I remember as a kid, after Saturday morning chores were done, our dad would take us over to the Cottonwood Complex to go sledding. As a parent I can now appreciate this. When my kids ask to go sledding, my reaction is a little whimpy. ("But it's going to be so cold. Do I even have snow boots?, etc.) It's one of those requests that makes me feel old, because I shouldn't be afraid go and brave the elements. I mean, I've whipped down the mountainside at Mountain Dell on a rickety sleigh and nearly killed someone. I've cross-country skied up Big Cottonwood and down Millcreek. I've hiked up random mountainsides and slid down on garbage sacks. I was pulled on an inner tube from the back of a truck down Lambs Canyon. I even took ski program! And now I don't even know if I have snow boots? Sheesh.

Anyway, Saturdays and sledding always remind me of my mom's potato soup. Made with onion, bacon, milk, shredded potatoes, and lots of black pepper, it was the soup de jour on a snowy Saturday. Because I'm turning into my mom (that's a good thing), I made my version of this soup. I love this soup for it's flexibility and simplicity, and it's so much better than any of the greasy, overly-thickened slime you'd get if you ordered this in a restaurant. Even if your pantry is nearly empty, you should be able to make this.

Cream of Potato Soup

2 T. olive oil

2 yellow onions (or 1 lg.), small dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 celery stalks, small dice

diced ham or bacon, to taste (optional) (I used leftover ham from the weekend party)

1 can (or equivalent water and bullion) chicken broth

4 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

water, enough to cover potatoes

milk, to taste

cream, to taste (or use evaporated milk or half & half)

roux for thickening, if desired (2 T. butter, 3 T. flour, cook in saucepan 1-2 minutes. Add 1-2 c. warm milk, whisk until thickened, add to soup)

salt and pepper to taste

If using bacon, cook bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside, reserving 1 T. bacon fat for cooking the vegetables. Cook onions, garlic, celery, and ham in oil until softened. Add broth, potatoes and enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to boil and cook potatoes until tender. If you want a thicker soup (see picture) make the roux with the 2 c. of milk and add to soup. Bring to boil to thicken. Reduce heat to low and add as much cream as you want. (I added about 1/2 c. Add more or less to taste.) Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with bacon, if using.

There's No Crying in Baking

2008-12-15T10:55:00.000-08:00

Sunday we had all of the family over for Emma's birthday. I thought I was prepared. Saturday I made up three pans of funeral potatoes to cook for Sunday. I bough a ham and had it sliced. I made a Jell-O with raspberries. I should have made the birthday cake too, but it was the ward party Saturday night and I ran out of time. (Guess what we had? Funeral potatoes, ham, and Jell-O.)
So I had most of Sunday afternoon to make rolls, a birthday cake, some backup brownies (yeah , we have a big family), put together a green salad and maybe a veggie platter.
Oh how I wish I had pictures to describe the chaos that ensued. I think a timeline will work best:

12:15-- We get home from church, everyone is cold and starving and demanding lunch. Ed has a meeting in 30 minutes so I'd better get chopping. Swiping some ham from the dinner, I threw together a brunch (or lunchfast as Emma called it) of ham, scrambled eggs, toast, leftover cinnamon rolls, and orange juice. Uh, you're welcome guys.
12:45-- Ed's gone. Ed usually does the dishes. I do dishes fast while trying to decide what cake I'm going to make.
1:00-- I make the roll dough. I scald the milk and nearly burn it (because, you know, I'm doing the darn dishes). The milk is taking forever to cool. Put milk mixture in garage to cool and nearly spill it on the dog food.
1:30-- Decide on a lovely yellow butter cake that uses the reverse creaming method. How intriguing! Prepare my mise en place.
1:45--Milk is cool. Finish preparing the roll dough, knead, and dump in an oiled container to rise.
2:00-- I'm running late! Wash bowl dough was kneaded in and start preparing cake batter. Forget to preheat oven. Realize that reverse creaming takes a long time.
2:15-- While reverse creaming, visiting teachers come over unannounced. Bring me a nice poinsettia and we chit chat. I'm wearing paint splattered sweats and covered in flour. Sensing my anxiety, visiting teachers leave.
2:30-- Finish cake batter. Hmmm, it calls for 8" rounds. I have a lot of batter. Will it fit? Yes it will! Barely. Oh, crap. Preheat oven. Should I use 9" rounds? Nah. I like tall cakes!
2:40-- Oven is preheated. Cake batter is divided evenly, smoothed, and comes dangerously close to the top of the pan. The picture in the cookbook shows a fine crumb and tight texture, like a pound cake. Perhaps it won't rise much. Put in the cake.
2:50-- Batter is rising and flowing over to the edge of the pan. Will the surface tension hold it together? Please?
2:52-- Cake batter is dripping over the edges. Dangit! What should I do? Wait. Maybe it will stop. It won't. Burn finger while spooning some of the batter out of the pans onto a plate.
2:54-- Cake batter is still dripping. Put a pan underneath to catch the drippings. Taste the batter on the plate. Not bad!
2:55-- Oven is taking on a nice smoky smell. I wonder if the cookbook says something about using tall cake pans! No, but clearly they do. Wish you would have bought those 8"x3" cake pans at Gygi's.
3:00-- Cake batter is steadily flowing out of the pans, but only out of one side, creating a divet around the rising cake, a beautiful volcanic valley of golden batter. Start thinking about making some brownies. You're definitely going to need a backup.
3:10-- Wash mixer bowl and start making texas sheet cake brownies. A crowd pleaser! Put flour and sugar in mixing bowl.
3:15-- Cakes are finally finished and boy are they ugly. In a brief flash of maturity, Emma pats me on the back and says "It's okay mom."
3:20-- What's that burning smell? Is it still the oven? Ah! the cocoa/water/butter mixture on the stove is bubbling away at a dangerous pace. Remove from heat and dump in flour sugar mixture. Mix in everything else. While pouring batter in pan, give it a taste. Hmm, it doesn't taste very sweet. Did I put in both cups of sugar? I can't remember!
3:25-- Pace around kitchen and finally decide to add another cup of sugar to the brownie batter. Scrape batter from pan into bowl, add sugar, scrape back into pan, and place into still smoky oven.
3:30-- Wash saucepan. Start making icing for brownies. Melt butter, cocoa, and milk in pan. Get distracted trying to get birthday cakes out of the pan. Frosting mixture scorches on the bottom but I'm mad and add the powdered sugar anyway. I think it tastes a little burned. Ed things it tastes fine, albiet with a pleasant smoky finish.
3:40-- Still with the burning smell? What's wrong? Look in oven and see brownie batter bubbling over the edge of the pan. Crap!
3:45-- While looking for a pan large enough to catch the falling batter, note that the brownie batter is now overflowing the pan in thin, beautiful sheets of chocolate. Double crap! Kitchen is dangerously smoking. Everyone in family opening windows. I try not to cry. There's no crying in baking!
3:47-- Flames erupt on the bottom of the oven in the shape of a sheet pan rectangle. Pull brownies from oven, covering my oven mitts in batter. Throw on baking soda to stop the fire. Take a deep breath and remind yourself you still have 3 potato casseroles, a ham, and 4 pans of rolls to bake.
3:50-- The rolls! Turn and see the dough overflowing the container. Punch down dough with more force than necessary, turn it, and tell it gently to wait a few minutes.
3:50 - 4:30-- Turn off oven, let it cool down, pull out racks, wash and dry them, scrape off burned batter from the bottom of oven. Call mom and ask her to make brownies. Give silent prayer thanking God for moms.
4:30-- Shape rolls and try to clean up the disastrous kitchen.
4:30-- Crank oven up and cram it with ham and funeral potatoes. Turn on the convection fan, baby!
4:40-- Make dip for vegetable tray. Decide not to make homemade salad dressing. Ask Ed to whip the cream for the Jell-O.
4:45-- Make chocolate buttercream frosting for cake.
4:50-- Try and make something from the cake-tastrophe. Slice tops of cake to make even with divet. Save tops. Patch together cake so it's roughly even. Even use some of the pieces that had falling into the other pan. Frost cake. Hey, this isn't too bad!
5:00-- Decorate cake with Junior mints and little peppermint patties that have white frosting snowflakes on them. Be glad you didn't cry over the cake - it turned out okay.
5:15-- Check on potatoes and ham. Almost there. Thank you convection! Swap everything out for a pan of rolls.
5:20-- Realize you're still in your sweats and the doorbell just rang. Ah! Change clothes, dash downstairs and get out salad stuff.
5:30-- Get nice sister-in-law to help you finish salad. Put in more rolls.
5:40-- Almost everyone's here. I made it!

Remember: any tears in the kitchen should be tears of joy. I will make that dang yellow butter cake again, with different pans, and I know it'll be great.

Date Filled Cookies, ZCMI Style

2008-12-10T19:02:00.000-08:00

This is not the official recipe, but I've put together a pretty close duplicate to the date-filled cookies we used to buy after shopping at ZCMI (somehow that third cookie we'd buy for dad would never make it home). Eating these took me right back to my teenage days in the 80's where I'd stalk my then-boyfriend who had a job in the giftwrap dept.

I remember that the date-filled cookies were a little darker from the brown sugar and ground pecans in the dough, as opposed to the raisin-filled, which I think were made from a white sugar cookie dough. The dough is flavorful on its own, and would make a nice sugar cookie, especially with the addition of the ground pecans. The date filling is just right - just remember to use fresh dates and not the dry, sugared, chopped ones.

Date Filled Cookies

Dough

2 c. light brown sugar

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. butter, room temp

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 t. vanilla
2 lg. eggs, room temp

1/4 c. buttermilk (or reg. milk, or sour cream I suppose would work), room temp

1/2 c. or so ground pecans (to taste)

3 3/4 to 4 1/2 c. flour
(Note: start with the lesser amount and add more until the dough reaches a "sugar cookie dough" consistency: not exceedingly soft but not too stiff either. Better to err on the softer side, as the dough will firm up in the fridge and result in a softer cookie.)

Filling

1 1/2 c. (8 oz.) dates, chopped into small pieces

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. water

1/8 t. salt

2 t. lemon juice

For the dough: cream together sugar, shortening, butter, baking soda, salt, and vanilla until smooth and light. Beat in the eggs, add buttermilk, then stir in the flour and pecans by hand. Cover bowl and chill at least one hour.

For the filling: in a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the dates, sugar, water, salt, and lemon juie gently for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently until thick. If necessary, add a little more water.

Preheat the oven to 350 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a floured surface, roll out the half the dough and cut into rounds. I used a 2 3/4" round, but for more "bakery sized" cookies, use a 3 or 4-inch round. Place heaping teaspoon of date filling in the center of the rounds, and top the cookies with another round of dough, pressing lightly around the edges. (Note: if you used alot of flour to roll out the dough, or if your dough is very stiff, you may need to moisten the edges of the round with water before topping the dough.)

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until they're a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a rack to cool.

Two Old Fashioned Breads: Date Nut Loaf and Whole Wheat Raisin Bread

2008-12-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

Much of eating is about nostalgia--just watch Ratatouilli--and this is why I made these two breads. Visits to my Grandma Clark were quiet but special. Even while playing on her special back exerciser, things didn't get too out of hand. During the visit, grandma would disappear into the kitchen and reappear with little plates of spice cake, raisin cake, or any such mystery cake containing raisins, nuts, molasses, or whole grains. Her cakes were like her personality: unassuming and down to earth.
The Date-Nut Loaf is a little more refined than grandma would have made. It's light in color and enriched with a little cream cheese in the batter. Also, grandma would have never used this much butter in a lowly loaf cake. It turned out nice, but be careful not to overbake or it will be very dry. This recipe is from Dori Greenspan's Baking.

Date-Nut Loaf
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
3 oz cream cheese, room temp
3/4 c. light brown sugar
4 lg. eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. almond extract
1 c soft pitted dates, each cut into 8 pieces
1 c. walnuts, chopped

Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Put the pan on an insulated baking sheet or two regular sheets stacked one on top of the other.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Working with a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed untl very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, another 3 minutes or so. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the extracts. The batter may look curdled - that's okay. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Fold in the dates and nuts with a spatula.
Turn batter into pan and bake for 40 minutes, then cover the top of the cake loosely with a foil tent and bake for another 40 minutes or so (total baking time 1 hour 20 minutes). (Note: I only baked this about one hour and it seemed very done - even with the knife test.)

Whole Wheat Currant Bread
(adapted from Nick Malgieri's The Modern Baker)
I was really happy with this bread. It was substantial without being heavy, had a nice flavor, and made an excellent breakfast bread toasted with butter. This bread is more Grandma Clark's speed: dark, healthy, and you don't need a KitchenAid to make it.

2 c. whole wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 lg. eggs
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. dark brown sugar
1/3 c. oil
3/4 c. buttermilk or milk
2 c. dried currants (or chopped raisins)
1/2 c. chopeed nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch pan. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl and stir to mix.
In large bowl whisk eggs, add sugars. Whisk in oil and milk, one at a time, whisking until smooth after each. Scrape batter into pan and smooth the top. Bake until well-risen and toothpick emerges clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool bread in pan 5 minutes, then unmold and cool completely before slicing.
Fold in flour to egg mixture. Quickly fold in currants. Scrape batter

Broccoli Hash

2008-12-03T09:24:00.000-08:00

What do you do with a tiny bag of leftover pine nuts that have been sitting in your fridge since August? You could make this broccoli hash, which is possibly my new favorite way to eat broccoli. Sunflower Farmer's Market had a good price on Asiago, so that clinched it. I may make this as more of an everyday side dish by just omitting the pine nuts and using whatever cheese you have on hand.

The only things I would have changed is 1) chopped the broccoli pieces a little smaller and more "hashy"; 2) browned the broccoli a little longer in the pan (the garlic was beginning to get toasty so I panicked); and 3) not thrown in a head of broccoli so recklessly into a pan of hot butter. I now have a nice scabbed over blister from the burn on my arm.

This recipe is adapted from memory from the Food Network Cookbook. I hope I get it right.

Broccoli Hash

1 head broccoli

2-3 t. unsalted butter

2 t. olive oil

2 T pine nuts

2 shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt & pepper

shaved asiago to taste

Break up broccoli by hand and cook for 2-3 minutes in salted boiling water. Remove broccoli, drain, and press with paper towels to get the broccoli very dry. (Note: this takes a little effort and more than a few paper towels.) Roughly chop broccoli and set aside.

Melt butter in large nonstick saucepan. Add pine nuts and cook 2 minutes until brown. Remove pine nuts with slotted spoon.

Add oil to pan with the butter, heat, and add shallot. Cook for a couple minutes, add garlic, cook for 1 more minute (medium heat - don't burn that garlic!). Add dried broccoli and cook until edges are crispy, working in batches if neccessary. Return pine nuts to pan and toss to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper (remember the asiago will add some saltiness). Place in warm serving dish and top with shaved asiago.

Asiago Cheddar Hash Browns

2008-12-01T17:20:00.000-08:00

It's hard to get excited about making dinner the days before and after Thanksgiving. After spending a couple of days in a cooking frenzy, I have been in no mood to spend time shoppping, plan, or execute meals. Tonight was a "breakfast dinner", a perfect opportunity to clean out the fridge and exercise the "Iron Homemaker" moniker.

I had a ton of potatoes, some cheddar and asiago leftover from the Thanksgiving Broccoli Hash (recipe coming soon), a few shriveled mushrooms, a green pepper, eggs, onions, and garlic. You can't go wrong with fried potatoes with cheese, and I made some western omelettes to go along. Ed says it was in the top ten dinners I've ever made, so if you think I'm a dork for posting a recipe for hash browns, you can just take that up with him.

2 T each butter and olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

yellow potatoes, roughly chopped (I don't know the amount - just enough to fill a large non-stick pan)

chopped fresh parsley

asiago and cheddar cheese, shredded

Melt oil and butter in large nonstick pan. Add onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes while chopping potatoes. Add potatoes and season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic salt or powder. Cook potatoes until crisp and brown, adding a little more oil or butter as necessary. Toss in cheese and parsley and place under broiler to brown. You don't have to do this, but I like getting a crispy top.

Cherry Red Raspberry Pie

2008-11-29T12:19:00.000-08:00

Can she make a cherry pie, Billy Boy, Bill!y Boy?
Can she make a cherry pie, Charming Billy?
She can make a cherry pie,
Quick as a cat can wink an eye,
She's a young thing
And cannot leave her mother.

I'm no young thing, and I've long since left my mother, but I made a cherry pie and it was awesome! (/Chris Farley)

For the recipe, I will thank Phyllis Bartholomew for her "Best of Show" Cherry Red Raspberry Pie. And as we all know, if your name if Phyllis, chances are, you can make a mean pie. Pie to me is a celebration of the past, a hallmark of a good cook, and a most virtuous dessert (Hey, you're eating fruit with pastry. How bad can it be?). When paired with ice cream or whipped cream, it has all the components of a great dessert: warm/cold, creamy/crispy, and tart/sweet.

Sorry chocolate satin and banana cream, but this is everything a pie should be. Tart and sweet, the raspberries give the filling an richer taste (although many didn't notice the raspberry) and a pretty dark red color.

Cherry Red Raspberry Pie

Filling
1 10-oz pkg. frozen red raspberries
2 c. canned sour pitted cherries, drained (reserve juice) (Note: 2 cans of cherries equals about 2 and a half cups. I added the extra 1/2 c. cherries.)
1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch (If you like your filling to hold up more, add another T of cornstarch.)
2 T. butter
1/4 t. salt
milk and sugar (to top the crust) (I used 1 egg whisked with 1 T cream instead of milk.)

Thaw frozen berries (save the juice) and add enough of the juice from the cherries to make one cup of liquid.

In a saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in one c. of the cherry/raspberry juice. Add cherries and cook over medium heat until thick and clear. Cook one more minute. remove from heat and very gently fold in raspberries. (Note: I did this the day before and cooled in the fridge.)

Pour into pastry-lined pie dish. Add top crust. Seal edges and brush top with milk or cream and sprinkle with sugar. Cut seam vents if necessary. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Crust
2 c. flour
1 c. cake flour
2 T. sugar (This is my addition. I like a little sweetness in the crust.)
2 T. super rich butter powder (I did not have this, but swapped out 1/2 of the shortening for butter.)
1 c. Crisco (I used 1/2 shortening, half butter that had been cut up and frozen for a few minutes.) 1 T. cider vinegar
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. ice water

Mix the flours and sugar and cut in the shortening and butter (I use a food processor). Pulse or mix until you have butter pieces the size of peas.

Beat together wet ingredients. Gradually add until mixture begins to look like curdled cheese. Stop before the dough forms a ball around the blade. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 1 hour.

The Power of Exploding Dough

2008-11-24T18:07:00.000-08:00

After posting my initial recipe for Pullman Bread, my friend Carrie asked a very relevant question:
What happens if you fill a pan with too much dough and it tries to ooze out from under the lid while baking?I'm only asking because I KNOW that would happen to me since I'm such an amateur!

Of course I had the arrogance to ignore that question. After all, I've been baking for years and such a thing would never happen to me. Until I checked the oven to discover that the dough had risen so much as to blow the lid off the Pullman pan and turn the whole loaf on to its side.

So Carrie, to answer your question, the dough does not gently ooze - it explodes. And why did it explode this time for me? I used the same recipe, but I ended up with more dough since I decided to use the full amount of flour and use extra water. (The seasoned readers of my blog know that I'm very obsessive about adding too much flour. I think due to our dry climate, I almost always hold back the full amount of flour and see first how the dough comes together.)

I did not think that the extra dough would be that significant, but note that this recipe also calls for a higher percentage of yeast than the wheat Pullman bread. Oddly, the wheat Pullman can take about 3 lbs 3 oz of dough per pan. The white Pullman exploded using about 2 lbs of dough and change.

For future reference, I will not double the amount of yeast when doubling the recipe (more like 1.5 times). And, I will add full amounts of all ingredients and hold back a little flour as usual.

Happily, the dough lids were not damaged and the bread, although slightly underbaked, tasted fine, supporting my theory that even bad homemade bread is good.

Finnish Pulla Bread

2008-11-18T16:13:00.000-08:00

While I don't wish bad luck upon others, I do see some misfortune as an opportunity to make something that would bring comfort to someone. I know this will make my old Weight Watchers teacher's head explode, but food is comfort, both literally and emotionally (reason #37 why I'll never be skinny).

So when my Finnish neighbor fell and broke her hip while shoveling snow last week, my first thought was, "Oh how terrible!" That quickly jumped to "Ooh I have an excuse to make Finnish Pulla Bread!". (I know, I'm going straight to hell.)

Pulla is similar to Challa and other egg and milk-rich celebratory breads (although I'm told that Pulla is eaten frequently). It has crushed cardamom seeds mixed in the dough, which makes it unique. The recipe emphasizes using cardamom that has been freshly ground, so I broke out the mortar and pestle and ground some up. It smelled amazing, and I'm determined to put the remainder of the cardamom to good use, perhaps in an Indian-spiced rice pudding.

Anyway, this is a really easy bread to make. I've never braided a loaf into a circle before, so that was a little stressful. I wish I could tell you how it tasted, but you'd have to ask my Finnish neighbor.

This recipe is from Baking with Julia, a great book based on the PBS series where different chefs would come to Julia Child's kitchen and bake different things. It was one of my favorite shows.

Finnish Pulla Bread

1 c. milk

1 T. active dry yeast

1/4 c. warm water

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. crushed cardamom seeds (from about 7 pods) (Note: I had to crush way more than 7 to get a t. of seeds.)

1 t. salt

2 large eggs

4 1/2 to 5 c. flour

1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, melted

Glaze: 1 large egg beaten with one T. milk

Sliced or slivered almonds for topping

Pearl sugar, for topping (Note: I used coarse sugar)

Scald milk and cool to lukewarm. In large bowl, whisk the yeast into the warm water. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the yeast has dissolved and is creamy. Whisk in the milk, sugar, cardamom, salt, and eggs. Switch to a wooden spoon, add 2 c. of the flour, and beat the mixture until smooth. Beat in the butter and then add as much additional flour, 1/2 c at a time, as you can until the dough is stiff but not dry. (You can also make this dough in a mixer fitted with the dough hook. Follow the procedure for hand mixing, adding the ingredients in the same order.)

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until it is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes. (Or knead in mixer about 5 minutes. Stop short of a satiny dough and finish kneading by hand to avoid overmixing.)

Shape dough into a ball and place in lightly oiled bowl, turning dough to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temp. until doubled.

Line a 14-inch pizza pan or large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Lightly oil a cook work surface.

Turn the dough out onto the oiled surface and knead it lightly and briefly, just to deflate it and release the air. Divide the dough into thirds, and roll each third into a rope about 36 inches long. Braid the three strands, braiding as far down to the bottom of the strands as you can. Lift the long braid (and try not to have a nervous breakdown) onto the parchment-lined pan, shaping it into a circle as you place it on the pan. Snip about 1 inch of the dough off each end of the braid and fuse the ends together, pressing and pinching them (if necessary) to fit. Roll the trimmings into a rope about a foot long and twist the rope into a bow shape. Place the bow over the seam you created when you fused the ends.

Cover the wreath with a kitchen towel and allow it to rise at room temperature until it is puffy but not doubled, about 45 minutes.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375. Brush the egg glaze over the bread. Sprinkle the wreath with sliced almonds and pearl sugar.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (mine baked for 30), until golden, taking care not to overbake. Transfer the loaf to a rack to cool before cutting. Contributing baker: Beatrice Ojakangas.

Maida's Big Apple Pie

2008-11-09T19:54:00.000-08:00

"To make an apple pie from scratch you must first invent the universe." -Carl Sagan

It's pie season, baby! I've already made a few pies to cull down the long list of Thanksgiving pie possibilities. My dad prefers pies to cake, so on a recent Sunday get together I tried out two: Sour Cream Apple Pie and Maida's Big Apple Pie. They are both from Nick Malgieri's new baking book, The Modern Baker. I really like his books, and he seems like a nice enough guy. You know, someone you could sit down and eat a piece of pie with.

Maida's Big Apple Pie (pictured above)

This is a galette (free form pie), but there's nothing "ette" about it. It's really big, almost twice the size of a normal pie. Like many apple pies, the filling is cooked a little beforehand as to eliminate the excess moisture. I also think that the use of half Golden Delicious apples is important here, as this type of apple breaks down in the pre-cooking process, binding the sturdier Granny Smith apples in a chunky applesauce.

Apple Filling

4 T. unsalted butter

2.5 lbs Granny Smith or other tart apples, peeled, halved, cored and each half cut into 6 wedges.

2.5 lbs Golden Delicious, prepared as above

1 c. sugar

1/3. light brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

One double batch Rich Pie dough

egg wash (one large egg well beaten with a pinch of salt)

sugar for sprinkling

1 round pizza pan

1. Prepare and chill pie dough (see recipe below)

2. For the filling, melt the butter in an enameled cast iron Dutch oven or other large pan with a cover. Add the apples and sprinkle with the sugars and cinnamon. cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the apples have exuded their juices. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender. About 1/3 will have disintegrated, and the rest of the apple slices should remain intact. Cool the filling. The filling may be made several days ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.

(Cathy's note: I've made this pie twice. The first time I discarded the extra apple juices after cooking and the filling came out a little dry after cooking. The second time I added a little flour to the pan an the end of cooking and kept the thickened juices. I preferred the result of the 2nd effort.)

3. Set a rack on the lowest level and preheat the oven to 375 F.

4. Roll out the Rich Pie Dough into a circle about 16 inches in diameter and center it on the pan. Spoon the filling into the middle, leaving a 2.5 inch border of dough uncovered. fold in the uncovered dough toward the center of the pie, leaving an uncovered space in the center. Brush the top of the folded-over dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sugar.

(Cathy's note: the 2nd time I made this pie I somehow ended up with too much filling, so I made another small pie with the dough scraps.)

5. Bake the pie until the dough is a golden color and the filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack.

(Cathy's note: the Sweet Pie dough is pretty fragile and more difficult to work with than a traditional pie dough. It also cracked a bit [see image]. The second time I made the pie, I used a more traditional pie dough. Both were good, the firs crust being more sweet and crumbly and the second more sturdy and flaky.

Rich Pie Dough
Note: this recipe is a double batch
3 c. flour
1 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
2.5 sticks cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1 lg. egg
1 lg. egg yolk
1. Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the butter and pulse about 20 times to finely mix in the butter.
Add the egg and egg yolk and pulse until the dough just begins to form a ball.
2. Invert the food processor bowl over a floured work surface to turn out the dough. Carefully remove the blade and transfer any dough on it to the work surface. Use your hands to press the dough into a disk about 1/2 inch thick.
3. dough disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 2 days.

Pizza Neopolitan

2008-10-29T19:04:00.000-07:00

My sister Linda and her husband Paul were down from Victoria for the weekend. They came by on Friday for dinner, and I was warned by Paul that I "better make some good food".

I like making this pizza for entertaining because everyone can make their own little pizza and since it only takes 7-8 minutes to bake each one, dinner is a fun, informal chow fest.
This recipe makes a light, thin, chewy crust and and wonderful raw sauce. Don't even think about using jarred sauce. Traditional toppings are fresh mozzerella and basil, but we also had carmelized onions, blue cheese, kalamata olives, mushrooms, zucchini, ham, pepperoni, and fresh tomatoes. The difficulty is to top the pizzas sparingling or else the crust will get soggy and not cook properly.

Warning: you need to start this dough early in the day. It takes very little yeast and requires a long, slow rise. The result is soft, extensible, flavorful dough. This recipe is adapted from Maggie Glezer's excellent book, Artisan Baking.

Pizza Neopolitan
Pizza Dough
3 1/3 c. bread flour
1/4 t. instant yeast
2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. lukewarm water

Sauce
28 oz can crushed san marzano tomatoes (or equivalent of fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded)
1 t. dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
fresh basil, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste (start with 1/4 - 1/2 t.)

Mix the Dough
Measure the flour, yeast, and salt together in the mixing bowl and stir them together by hand. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed while pouring in the water; continue to mix on low speed just until the dough gathers around the hook, about 3 minutes. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for about 10 to 15 minutes to allow the yeast to fully hydrate. Mix the dough on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the dough is fairly but not perfectly smooth.

Divide the Dough
On a lightly floured work surface, cut the dough into 4 equal pieces, each about 7 ounces. (Picture shows a doubled recipe.)
Shape each piece of dough into a tight ball using the following method:
1. flatten the dough and roll the dough up like a carpet.

2. turn the dough around and position it seam side up, and roll it up again.

3. roll the dough perpendicular to itself a third time
4. turn the dough seam side down and round out the dough under your palm into a tight ball.
(This may seem like overkill, but the point here is to make a really tight ball of dough.)

Place each ball on a floured tray. Flour the top of the dough and cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Proof the Dough
Let the balls of dough proof at room temperature until they aer soft and puffy but still springy, 5 to 6 hours. Or refrigerate the dough after shaping it, for up to 36 hours. (Note: I was 8 hours away from dinner, so to avoid overproofing, I proofed it in the garage - a very cold room - and brought it to room temp. for the last couple of hours.)

One hour before baking, arrange a rack on the oven's second-to-top shelf and place a baking ston on it. Clear away all racks above the one being used. Preheat the oven to its highest possible temperature setting. (The recipe says it's somewhere between broil and clean. You are trying for 750 but 500 degrees can still work).

Shape the Dough
Flour your work surface and palce a fully proofed dough ball on it. Flatten the ball with your hands and press it into a disk. Don't roll out with a rolling pin. You want to be gentle with the dough and preserve the air bubbles.
Place the dough on a sheet of parchment or directly on a peel that has been dusted with flour or cornmeal. Spread 1/4 c. sauce on the dough and add remaining toppings. Slide the pizza on to the hot stone and bake 6-8 minutes, depending on how hot your oven is.

Whole Wheat Pullman Bread

2008-10-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

If I had a flag, I would run it up the pole. That's how excited I am about this bread. I've been searching for a good sandwich bread, and while the white Pullman loaves I had made were good, the master plan was to make a subtle switch to wheat. This bread isn't 100% whole wheat, as it contains just a little more whole wheat flour than white, but it's a happy medium for our family.

Making this is so different than doing artisan bread because the dough itself is a lot firmer. I think adding too much flour (and possible using old yeast) is the biggest reason many bread doesn't turn out, so when searching for the right consistency for this dough, I just hold my breath and add enough so it almost cleans the sides of the bowl.

Anyway, about the bread. The finished bread has a tight crumb and a great flavor: a little sweet with a mild wheat taste. It holds together well for sandwiches and toast and makes great bread crumbs.

Recipe Notes:
This recipe is for two loaves, but it can easily be halved. As it is, it challenges the dough capacity of my KitchenAid mixer. I think the original quantities are intended for a 4x4x13 Pullman pan, but my pans are only 12 inches long, leaving me with some extra dough to either make a small loaf or a few rolls. When I weighed the finished dough, it came to about 6 lbs 12 oz. I put 3 lbs in each pan and made a few rolls with the extra. You could tweak the recipe so I wouldn't have extra dough, but the quantities are easy for me to remember, so I leave them as is.

Whole Wheat Pullman Bread
5 t. instant yeast (I use SAF)
5 c. warm water
6 c. whole wheat flour (I use freshly ground white wheat)
4-6 c. white flour (I use Lehi Roller Mills high gluten flour)
2 T. natural dough enhancer (optional)
2/3 c. nonfat powdered milk
2 T. salt (I use Redmond Sea Salt)
1/2 c. butter, room temp (oil also works very well and gives the bread a softer crust)
1/2 c. honey

In your mixing bowl, mix the whole wheat flour, yeast, and water with a spatula. Cover for at least 15 minutes, or until bubbly. (This "autolyse" step can be skipped, but I think it gives the wheat flour and yeast a chance to hydrate, and me a chance to get all the other ingredients ready.)
In separate large bowl, mix 4-5 c. of the flour (reserve at least one cup), salt, powdered milk, and dough enhancer. (Mixing the powdered milk with the flour prevents it from clumping when you add it.)

Add butter and honey to mixing bowl, and with dough hook on low speed, add the flour mixture. Knead for 7-10 minutes, adding the extra flour as necessary. Dough should gather around the dough hook and almost clean sides of bowl.

Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead by hand for one or two minutes.
Place in oiled container or bowl and let rise until at least doubled.

Turn out and divide dough as necessary for your pans (see recipe notes above). Roll out dough in a 12x8-inch rectangle with the long side facing you. Roll up the dough tightly to form a log. Pinch seam and ends to seal. Place seam side down in a pan that has been brushed with oil (including the bottom side of the lid). Cover with lid 3/4 and let rise until dough has risen to about 1 inch from the lid. Place in 400-degree oven for about an hour.
Start checking bread at about 45 to 50 minutes. When bread in finished, it will be well browned, pull away from the sides of the pan and sound hollow when tapped. If you can, wait until cooled before slicing!

Adventures with a Swiss Vegan

2008-10-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

So when I signed up to host an exchange student from Up with People for one week, I was asked what my hobbies are. I mentioned I enjoy cooking, and apparently that's codespeak for "give her the vegan chick". I was a little worried at first, but it was really alot of fun. Here are some of the goodies we made:
Yukon Gold oven fries.

Sweet potato (yam) oven fries

Fries Two Ways. The sweet potato fries have a sweet/spicy mixture of salt, pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and a little cayenne. The regular potatoes I think were just salt, pepper, and olive oil. Slice your potatoes in fry shapes, toss in a bowl with a couple of chugs of olive oil, and toss in your spices. Bake at 450 until crispy. The sweet potatoes may take longer to get crispy, and both may need a turn with a spatula halfway through. I find it helpful to line the pans with parchment.

Pumpkin Soup. Gwen made a delicious pumpkin soup. She made it from memory, but I can tell you it had a fresh pumpkin and butternut squash (peeled, seeded, roughly chopped), 1 onion, vegetable broth, salt, red curry paste (about 1 t.), coconut milk (1 c. or so), and fresh chopped basil. It was really, really good.

Artisan Boule. I made some homemade bread a couple of times. You'd be surprised how many commercial and homemade breads contain milk or milk powder, so I stuck with the artisan formula of flour, water, salt, yeast, and time.

Vegetable potstickers. The picture of the final product didn't turn out, but here's a photo of the filling. I got the recipe online, so I don't have the exact contents anymore, but here's what I remember: 1 leek, finely sliced, 1 head napa cabbage, finely sliced, 2 shredded carrots, 2 cloves garlic, 2 t. soy sauce, 1 T. rice wine vinegar, a little dash of sugar if you want, handful of cilantro. Other recipes called for bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.

Roasted vegetables, fried parsnips, hummus. We also roasted a ton of vegatables. Here we did butternut squash, sweet potatoes, onion and garlic. The white stuff in the other bowl is are parsnips, parboiled then dredged in season flour and fried in olive oil. Mushrooms were thrown in for a good measure. Also pictured is the hummus to spread on the bread.

Not pictured is the vegetable thai curry & rice, miso soup, and tomato salad we made.

Fresh Apple Cake. I found out the Gwen will eat eggs, so I jumped at the chance to make an apple cake. Actually, my sister Laura made it with Emma's help. It's one of my favorite cakes: moist, dark, chunky, and not overly sweet. Last night my dad had some and he decided that we wanted that for his birthday cake. This recipe is from the Junior League of Salt Lake City Heritage Cookbook.

Fresh Apple Cake

4 c. apples, diced

2 c. sugar (can be reduced)

2/3 c. veg. oil

2 t. vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour (white may be used; we used half of each)

2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 t. cinnamon

1 c. nuts (optional)

1 c. raisins (optional)

Optional topping:

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. nuts

2 t. cinnamon

Combine and sprinkle on unbaked cake. If you don't want to do this topping, you can leave in plain or ice it with some cream cheesd frosting.

Pour in 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Pullman Bread

2008-10-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

My Pullman bread pans have finally arrived! I have searched far and wide for these pans, which are basically lidded loaf pans that make a sandwich-type loaf. I found some at Orson Gygi's but they were the wrong size (the 16-or 18-inch length). When the guy at Gygi's said that he didn't know when the next order would be in because of something about the price of steel in China, I panicked a bit. I searched Amazon.com and found "only two left in stock. Order now!" So that's exactly what I did.

Ever since I gave Grandma Sycamore the boot I've been sticking to my guns and trying to keep on a supply of homemade bread. I'm excited about these pans because this type of bread is great for sandwiches, toast, i.e., what my family usually eats every day. This bread is easy to make, just chuck it in the bowl and knead. There's no milk to scald and since you're working with a pretty firm dough, it's easy even to knead by hand and not worry about adding too much flour. The result is a bread with a tight crumb that's easy to slice. This recipe is from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook.

Pullman Bread

Note: this makes one loaf but it's easily doubled

1 1/2 lbs (about 4 1/2 c.) bread flour (note: I didn't have to add all the flour, so hold back a little to until you see how it comes together)

3 1/2 t. instant yeast

1 1/2 t. kosher salt

1 1/2 T. sugar

1/3 c. dry milk

2 T. unsalted butter, room temp

1 3/4 c. warm water

vegetable oil, for bowl and pan

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine teh flour, yeast, salt, sugar, dry milk, and butter. Add the warm water and beat on low speed until the dough is smooth, elastic, and uniform in color, about 5 minutes.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and finish kneading it by hand, about five times, making sure that all ingredients are fully incorporated and the dough forms a smooth ball. Place teh dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a woarm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Gently deflate dough and pull the sides into the center. Invert the dough in the bowl, so that it rests smooth side up. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise again until doubled in bulk.

Generously brush a 12-inch Pullman loaf pan with vegetable oil, making sure to coat the underside of the lid, as well as the bottom and sides of the pan. Set aise. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to a 12-by8-inch rectangle, with a long side facing you. Starting at the top, roll the dough toward you, gently pressing as you go to form a tight log. Pat in the ends to make even. gently roll the log back and forth to seal the final seam. Place the loaf, seam side down, in te prepared pan, and slide the lid three-quarters of the way closed. Let rise until dough is almost touching the lid. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425.

Close the lid completely and bake, rotating pan halfway through, until light and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350 and continue baking another 30 minutes. (Note: I only baked another 15 minutes.)

Transfer pan to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Turn out bread and cool completely before slicing. The bread can be wrapped and stored for up to 4 days.

Buttermilk Bread

2008-10-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

Now that I've awoken from my bread coma I can tell you about this great bread that I made the other day. I've been watching bread prices steadily rise and anticipating the cooler weather when I can finally give Grandma Sycamore the boot and make something much better. Let's face it, those types of bread are a step up from Wonder Bread but are gummy and have almost no flavor. Plus, homemade bread can be made for less than $1 a loaf.
I've never made buttermilk bread before, and this turned out nice. It had a pleasant tangy flavor and a sturdy enough texture for sandwiches. It's best with honey or jam acting as a sweet counterpoint to the buttermilk. This recipe is from Greg Patent's Baking in America, a really great book showing the history of American baking and providing authentic recipes.

Buttermilk Bread
2 c. warm buttermilk

1/2 c. warm water
2 1/4 t. instant yeast

7 c. flour
4 T. unsalted butter

1 lg. egg

1/4 c. sugar

1 T. salt

In mixer bowl or another large bowl, stir the buttermilk, water, yeast, and 3 cups of the flour together with a wooden spoon. Beat until smooth, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature untl doubled in volume and bubbly, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

In a stand mixer, add butter, egg, sugar, salt, and remaining 4 c. flour to the bowl. (Note: I hold back 1 c. flour and add as necessary. Do this especially if you are kneading by hand.) Knead on low speed for 5 to 8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic and cleans sides of bowl. If the dough sems too wet and sticky, add a bit more flour.

Place in oiled bowl and let rise until almost tripled, about 1.5 hours.

Divide dough in half and shape into two loaves and place in two 9x5x3 loaf pans. Cover with lighly oiled plastic wrap and let rise until centers of loaves have risen 1.5 to 2 inches above rims of pans, about 1 hour.

Bake at 375 for 35 to 45 minutes.

Ming Tsai's Pork Potstickers

2008-09-28T19:55:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you just need to break out of the box, and this was a perfect weekend try something new. I'd been craving potstickers and thought I'd give them a try. It takes a little time to put them together, but it's fun to do if you have helpers. This recipe supposedly makes 30 potstickers, so I doubled the filling to match my package of 60 gyoza wrappers. Even then, I had a lot of leftover filling, which Ed suggested that I make some sort of wacky Asian meatloaf. (Maybe another time!)

I'm embarrassed to admit that we scarfed down over 60 potstickers over two days, but man were they good. So next time, skip the take out and make these - thanks, Ming Tsai!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/PORK-POT-STICKERS-236605

I Can't Believe I Bought This Much Butter

2008-09-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Or, alternatively, "Costco and the Moral Complexity of Buying in Bulk". Yes folks, thats 5 pounds of prime hydrogenated vegetable oil, with Tinkerbell thrown in for scale. I had a similar feeling when I bought a box of goldfish crackers larger than my ottoman. Sure, I saved a few bucks but I'm not running a Hometown Buffet here, not to mention the unspoken pressure of trying to eat 5 lbs of spread before the expiration date.
We are advised to buy in bulk, plan out meals weeks in advance, freeze meals, etc., as if cooking were to be avoided like a scheduled toilet scrubbing. What happened to imaginative, spontaneous cooking? While some planning is good, who knows what we are going to crave in two weeks, not to mention what's going to be fresh and even better, on sale? In the mean time, I'm striking a balance between Costco and the farmer's market and hoping not to to go bankrupt in the process.
Oh, and I canned some pears, perhaps tipping the scales toward wholesomeness and economy in the great moral balance of the universe.
I've gotta go - Fabio's here to take me on horseback ride through the Pyrenees.

Corn Chowder with Chiles

2008-09-23T08:52:00.000-07:00

It's soup season! Okay, so it rained for half a day, but here in Utah that's a big deal. I've never made corn chowder before, but I had most of the ingredients so there you go.
This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart's Summer Corn Chowder from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook. I increased the amounts by half, used milk instead of half-and-half, and increased the heat by adding extra chiles. I'm really happy with how it turned out. Even Ed liked it, and he doesn't even like corn. (I think the British are raised to think corn is animal feed, but that's a whole other post.)

Corn Chowder with Chiles
6 oz. bacon, diced
1 lg. onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
8 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper
4 cups chicken stock or broth
3 ears of corn, shaved from the cob
8 oz. fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/2" slices (or use white/yellow potato, diced)
1-2 poblano peppers, cut into 1/2" dice (seeds and ribs removed) You can use whatever peppers you have on hand, depending on how hot you want your soup. I used 1 anaheim and 1 jalapeno. You could even used canned green chiles.
2 c. milk (or half and half)
roux for thickening, optional

Place bacon is small stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook until deep golden brown and all fat has been rendered. Remove bacon and drain on paper towel. Discard all but 2 T. bacon fat.
Add onion, celery, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium low until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add stock, cover, bring to boil, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer with lid ajar for 15 minutes.
Add corn, potatoes, and chile pepper Cook uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard thyme. Add milk and thicken with roux if desired. If using roux, heat 3 T. butter in small saucepan; stir in 1/4 - 1/3 c. flour. Stir for a minute or so, then add in 1-2 c. of the hot soup. Stir until thickened and then return mixture to soup pot and whisk to incorporate.) Check and adjust seasoning. Garnish with bacon and whatever else looks good.

Raspberry Nectarine Jam

2008-09-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

Remember that summer hailstorm that damaged many of the fruit trees around the valley? Well, my dad now has some really ugly, pockmarked, nectarines that have really delicious fruit inside (there's a gospel message in there somewhere). Anyway, I went over to pick more raspberries and he gave me a bag of the nectarines, so I put the two together and made a deliciously tangy raspberry nectarine jam.

Pesto 3 Ways

2008-09-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law Jerrea has an enormous basil plant so I stole a few bunches so I could make pesto and not have to spend a ton of money. Pesto enjoyed a big resurgence a few years back, and I still like making a couple of batches every summer. Spread it on toast, use in panini, pasta, on potatoes, on pizza, with chicken - whatever.

Basil Pesto
3 garlic cloves (more or less, depending on taste)
1/2 c. toasted pine nuts
1 t. kosher salt
2 c. basil leaves, packed
1/2 c. or so grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c. (about) extra virgin olive oil

I mix everything in a food processor and drizzle in the oil at the end. Check and adjust seasoning. Store in a lidded glass container with a little oil on top of the pesto to keep it from turning brown.

Pesto with Roast Chicken: put a tablespoon or so pesto underneath the chicken skin, season chicken, and bake at 375 until done. Serve with more pesto on the top if you want. Ina Garten has a recipe that also includes goat cheese with the pesto.

Pesto with hash browns: use pesto as a condiment. I use potatoes that have been par-boiled or baked, and then give them a rough chop, season, add onions or whatever you want, and cook in a well-oiled cast iron pan. I sometimes weigh down the potatoes with another pan to get a "pancake" effect. These potatoes have cheese and green onion. You can also boil small red potatoes, and then roughly smash up the potatoes with olive oil and pesto.

Pesto with pasta: this is just pasta with pesto, fresh chopped tomatoes, and some mozzerella cheese.

Jammin'

2008-09-16T22:04:00.001-07:00

Today I got serious, put on an apron, and canned some jam. Yes, it's a pain, but who can deny the happiness you feel placing the gleaming jars of ruby jam on a tea towel to cool on your countertop. This jam is peach/raspberry. The peaches I stole from my neighbor's tree (That's what you get when let branches grow recklessly over the fence. Thanks, neighbor!), and the raspberries are from my mom and dad's garden.
I know I'm waxing a bit silly, but whenever I do some canning, or make a pie from scratch, I feel a connection to women of yesteryear. I may never cook over an open fire, do laundry in a river, or butcher a cow, but by dang I can make jam from stuff growing in the yard. I hope my ancestors looking down on my little accomplishment and will cut me a little slack and ignore the fact that I drive a living room with wheels and buy chicken nuggets in the shape of dinosaurs.

Luke's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-09-07T20:37:00.000-07:00

Our nephew Luke was visiting from England in August, and mowed through these chocolate chip cookies. Here's the recipe, Luke!

Luke's Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 c. vegetable shortening

1 1/3 c. dark brown sugar

1 1/3 c. white sugar

4 T. corn syrup (or golden syrup)

2 T. cider or white vinegar

4 lg. eggs, room temperature

2 T. vanilla extract

1 t. salt

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

5 cups flour

2 bags (about 4 cups) chocolate chips

Cream butter and shortening until well mixed and fluffy. Gradually add sugars, corn syrup, and vinegar and beat until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in flour and chocolate chips. If the dough still looks extremely soft, add a little more flour.

Chill the dough at least 1 hour, or if possible, overnight (I find if I bake these right away, they spread to much.) For large cookies, bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes. I use parchment-lined baking sheets. Adjust baking time and temp as necessary. Let cool on trays for a few minutes before transferring to a rack.

This makes a ton of cookies, so half the recipe if you want, but I like to make a full recipe and freeze logs of the chilled dough for future use.

Weekend Garden Extravaganza

2008-09-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

Our neighbors the Stringhams have been very generous with their garden produce. Friday night we enjoyed their freshly-dug red potatoes with clean-out-the-fridge toppings: sour cream, cheese, mushrooms, bacon (from the BLTs), and peas.

Saturday was less exciting (mac and cheese), but I did make up a great batch of lime & garlic salsa with all of the extra tomatoes and peppers lying around. Here's an approximation of the recipe.

Lime & Garlic Salsa
4-5 reg. tomatoes + 5-6 romas (or whatever you have)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch green onions (can use a white onion instead)
assorted hot peppers (I used 1 jalapeno, 1 small hot chili pepper, and 2 larger mild peppers)
juice from 1/2 lime
generous handful of cilantro
1/2 t. or so sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Finely chop everything or put in food processor. Don't process to long or you'll get too much air in the salsa and it will be pink. Don't be afraid to season it well, as it may need 1/2-1 t. salt. This salsa can be pretty "loose". If you prefer a thicker texture you can add some tomato paste.

Road Food

2008-09-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

Ed in school + out running errands = drive thru dinner. I try to support local (or in this case, regional) places, so we went to Arctic Circle. Besides, their fries are so much better than McDonald's or Wendy's (rancid oil, almost always). Plus, my relationship with Wendy's has soured ever since I had a bad chicken wrap that caused some significant gastro distress. While three kids meals for 10 bucks is not bad, Arctic Circle really needs to get a value menu.

Speaking of gastro distress, I visited Carrie just as she was cleaning up dinner, and I got to see this gem of a dish. After laughing for about 5 minutes, we decided to have a little contest. Whoever can name 4 ingredients that are a part of this dish gets a Very Special Prize.

Loaded BLTs

2008-09-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry, Carrie, about all the tomatoes. It will go away in a couple of weeks.

Nothing special here. Just BLTs with avocado and blue chesse dressing. Add cheese if you're name is Ed. Toast the bread for texture, and make sure you season those tomatoes.

Roasted Tomato Soup & Breadsticks

2008-09-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

A friend brough over a massive bag of cherry tomatoes, but one can only eat so many plates of tomatoes and cottage cheese before one starts to feel a little panicky about what to do with all of those tomatoes. I still had a big wad of leftover dough in the fridge from yesterday's pizza, so I decided to make breasticks and tomato soup.

Roasted Tomato Soup

2 lbs or so tomatoes

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic

a few sprigs of thyme

4 T. olive oil

1 t. sugar

salt and pepper

Toss above ingredients in a roasting pan and roast, stirring once or twice, in a 425-degree oven for about 25-35 minutes.

Add roasted tomato mixture and 4 c. chicken stock to pot and simmer 5 minutes. Check seasoning and adjust as necessary. Here's where things get silly. If you want a smooth soup, puree in blender or use an immersion blender and strain through a sieve. Return soup to pot, and add additional seasonings or add-ins. You could add some hot sauce or red pepper flakes, fresh basil or other herbs, cooked rice, or even some cream for more of a 'cream of tomato' soup. I added a little hot sauce and about 1/3 c. heavy cream. It was pretty good, but I was not prepared for its bright orange, wheaties box color. Not the sexiest photo, but good eats nonetheless.

Summer Vegetable Pizza with Crispy Garlic

2008-09-01T21:30:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to put the "diary" back into "Diary of an Iron Homemaker", I've challenged myself to blog, for better or worse, what we've had for dinner each day. English food writer Nigel Slater wrote an awesome cookbook The Kitchen Diaries in this same format. He is a big proponent of eating seasonally, growing your own food when possible, and cooking instinctively, often without a recipe. I tried to emulate some of these qualities in tonight's dinner, Summer Vegetable Pizza.

This pizza is a product of the generosity of friends and family who have shared their garden abundance with us.

The Crust

Resist the temptation to add more flour, as this dough can be wet, depending on how you measure your flour. After it rises it will be easier to handle. This recipe will make 2 smallish round pizzas or 1 jelly-roll pan size pizza.

3 cups flour

2 t. salt

1 1/4 c. warm water

2 1/2 t. instant yeast

1 T. olive oil

1 t. sugar

Chuck everything into your mixer and knead for about 5 minutes. You can add a little more water if you're concerned about a dry dough. Knead into a ball and place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled. Deflate gently and press into oiled jelly roll pan (or shape into rounds).

Top and bake at 450 for at 10-25 minutes, depending on the thinness of your crust and amount of toppings.

The Sauce

Normally for the sauce I prefer to use crushed, raw tomatoes (skinned & seeded), stir in some chopped garlic that has been sauteed in olive oil, add some salt, pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a some fresh herbs (basil, oregano) and chopped up. But today I wanted to save the beautiful Romas from my mom's garden for the topping, so I settled for a thin smear of bottled pasta sauce.

The Toppings

My pizza got chopped onion, chopped Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced green zucchini and yellow squash, green pepper, mushrooms, mozzerella, and parmesan. I didn't have any, but olives and artichoke hearts would have been good, too.

While the pizza was baking, I sauteed some thinly sliced some garlic and a chopped red chile pepper in olive oil until the garlic was crispy. When the pizza was done, I drizzled the garlic/chile mixture (oil included) over all the pizza. This, I think, was the best part and gave the pizza a really spicy kick and a nice texture with the crispy garlic. Oh yeah, I totally need to brush my teeth.

Peanut Butter & Jam Bars

2008-04-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I've taken a break from my train ride to crazytown to update my blog. Hope everyone is doing (and eating) well.
I can't decide how I feel about these. They're rich, to be sure, but I can't decide if I'm eating a dessert or a really rich peanut butter sandwich. That didn't stop me from eating about five, and they're great with a glass of cold milk.

Peanut Butter & Jam Bars

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 lg. eggs
2 c. creamy peanut butter
3 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 1/2 c. raspberry jam (or your preference)
2/3 c. salted peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9 x 13 pan.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until well combined. Stir in dry ingredients.
Spread two thirds mixture in the prepared pan. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; the dough will spread when it bakes. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and bake 40-45 minutes, until golden brown.
One note about the jam. I couldn't bring myself to dump an entire 12 oz jar of jam in the pan, so I only used about 1 cup. Carrie taste-tested these and thought they could've used more of the "goo factor", so next time I'll close my eyes and add all of the jam.

Rhubarb and Orange Tart

2008-03-12T10:57:00.001-07:00

Rhubarb is here! And since it cost me nearly seven bucks, I felt the need to do something slightly elevated. This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite books, How to Bake (Malgieri). The crust reminds me of the sweet, cake-like pastry crusts that Ed's mum makes using self-rising flour. I think my favorite thing about this is the very spring-like color you get from the bright pink rhubarb and the yellow/orange custard. Another nice thing is that poaching the rhubarb cooks it without turning it to mush. Now don't freak - I'm not a "poaching" kind of gal but this was really easy. And it tastes really good.

Rhubarb and Orange Tart

Sweet Dough
2 1/2 c. flour
6 T sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
8 T cold unsalted butter
2 large eggs
milk or cream if needed

Poached Rhubarb
1 1/2 lbs fresh rhubarb
1 c. sugar
2 c. water

Crumb Topping
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 t. cinnamon
8 T unsalted butter

Orange Custard
2/3 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. sugar
grated zest of one orange
1 t. vanilla
4 egg yolks

For the Sweet Dough:
Note: This recipe is will make 2 crusts, but only one is needed for this recipe. I'm very paranoid about making too little pastry dough, probably because I'm not the best at rolling it out, so I usually make enough for two crusts and then just use the extra for jam tarts for the kids.
Combine dry ingredients in the food processor and pulse a few times to mix. Cut the butter into 1-tablespoon pieces and add to the work bowl. Pulse repeatedly at 1-second intervals until the mixture is fine and powdery and resembles cornmeal. Add the eggs and pulse 10 more times, until the dough forms a ball. If your dough seems too dry to form a ball, and milk or cream, a tablespoon at a time, until it does. Try not to over-process. Scrap dough onto floured work surface, knead a couple of times to bring together, and shape into a disk. Wrap w/plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or up to two days.

For the Rhubarb:
If the rhubarb is well developed and tough looking, string it (like you would celery). Cut the stalks into 2-inch lengths. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a large shallow pan, add the rhubarb, cover, turn off the heat, and allow the rhubarb to cool completely.

For the Crumb Topping:
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir the melted butter into the dry ingredients. Allow to stand a minute, then by hand break into coarse crumbs. Set aside.

For the Orange Custard:
Whisk all ingredients together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Set aside.

To assemble the tart, roll out the chilled dough and line a 10-inch (or so) tart pan. Drain the rhubarb (Don't forget to save the syrup for another use - it's really good.) and arrange it in the tart shell. Pour the custard filling over the rhubarb and scatter the crumb topping over the top.
Bake the tart 30-40 minutes, until the filling has set and the crumbs have browned lightly. Cool on a rack.