Turkey Tetrazinni

Mr. E. and I hosted our first Thanksgiving this year. It was wonderful to spend the holidays in our new home with our family... and more importantly, the food on Thanksgiving was a success! We ordered a 16 pound turkey so we could be sure to have leftovers. Over the past few weeks we have had turkey sandwiches but we had been saving about 1.5 pounds of Turkey for a big casserole. This one turned out to be turkey perfection and it made a lot of leftovers which is always good with a 7.5 month under foot! It was delicious but I still cannot believe I served something as a main course for dinner that had potato chips in the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 pound white button mushrooms, ends trimmed, sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 12 ounces wide egg noodles
• 1 pound cubed or bite-size shredded roast turkey
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 (5 1/2-ounce) bag potato chips, crushed

Directions

Saute the onions and bell peppers in 6 tablespoons butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the mushrooms, Essence, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and have released their liquid, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and chicken stock and cook, stirring, until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and very flavorful, 15 to 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.
Butter a 9 by 13-inch casserole or baking dish with the remaining tablespoon of butter and set aside.
When the sauce has thickened, add the noodles, turkey, parsley, salt, black pepper, and Parmesan to the skillet and stir until thoroughly combined. Transfer to the prepared casserole and top with the potato chips. Bake uncovered until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

www.foodnetwork.com

Pumpkin Butterscotch Bread

Mmm... now that the weather is getting a bit colder, it is time to break out the sweet breads! This is my own twist on a classic and I must say, it is now at the top of my list of yummy sweet breads that I have tasted. Who would have thought butterscotch could make such a big difference?

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
8 T unsalted butter (one stick), melted and cooled
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup butterscotch chips (or you could follow the traditional recipe and add toasted pecans or walnuts)

1. Adjust an oven rack to lower middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat a 9x5 inch loaf pan with vegetable oil or spray.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger together in a large bowl. Whisk the pumpkin, sugar, melted butter, eggs and vanilla together in a separate bowl until frothy.

3. Gently fold the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in the butterscotch chips. The batter will be very thick.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 45-55 minutes.

5. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before unmolding onto a wire rack to cool for 1 hour.

From the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, p. 588.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

     I love Pumpkin...hence half of the title of this blog! A month or so ago when I began to crave all things pumpkin I headed to the store to stock up on the canned stuff. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any at any of my usual grocery stores...including Trader Joe's. My grandmother had the same problem and shared with me that she had heard we were going to have a canned pumpkin shortage because of a poor growing season last year... oh no! Alas, the pumpkin finally arrived in stores and I have been able to get my fill on nearly a daily basis.

     One of my favorite blogs to follow of late is "Kath Eats Real Food". The reason I like the blog is because it presents healthy ways to eat including new foods that I don't normally cook with. One of her breakfast staples is oatmeal and Mr. E. and I have heartily embraced breakfast oats because of this blog. Not only are they delicious and healthy, but this is really the only way Mr. E. would eat breakfast during the week because I can make individual batches and put them in a jar for him to grab on his way out the door. If you are interested in Kath's blog it can be found at http://www.katheats.com/

     The cold oats we have been rocking this week were made in one big batch so we wouldn't have to make breakfast each morning. We are super busy in the morning so anything that saves us time before Noon is great! So... I made a big batch of steel cut oats (these are the creamiest and healthiest oats you can buy... unfortunately they take about 30 minutes to cook which is why it is best to make a big batch at once). To make 6 servings you will need 1 cup of oats and 4 cups of liquid (I used 3 cups of lite vanilla soy milk and 1 cup of water. We love the flavor of the vanilla soy milk), and cinnamon. Bring the milk/water and a generous dash of cinnamon to a boil and then add the oats. Boil for 5 minutes until creamy and then reduce heat to a simmer and continue to simmer for 25 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. After the oats are finished, let cool and then add half a jar of canned pumpkin. When we are ready to eat them, I mash up a banana in a jar, add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the oats, a spoonful of apple butter and sometimes a spoonful of ground flaxseed meal if I remember and then mix it all together. Top that off with a spoonful of either almond butter or peanut butter for added protein. Top off the jar with your lid and it is breakfast on the go! Yum--you will really look forward to breakfast with this treat.

Vegetarian (Tempeh) Meatballs

I was really in the mood for spaghetti and meatballs but unfortunately we did not have any ground meat in our freezer and O and I were not interested in venturing out into the 90 degree weather to get some meat. So... I found some tempeh in our refrigerator and I figured there must be some way to make meatballs out of these! I found this great recipe online that I altered slightly and they were delicious! They taste almost as good as real meatballs but there is nothing quite like a ground beef and pork meatball so I won't proclaim them just as good. However, it is a great way to get some protein and a healthier meatball with your pasta meals!

*I forgot to take a photo of the meatballs so instead I am sharing my new flour and sugar storage containers! I have been looking for something like this for a few months so I was psyched to find them on sale at target this week...

Tempeh Meatballs

Ingredients

2 8 oz. Packages of Soy Tempeh

1/2 cup Quinoa Flour (or whole wheat/other grain flour) 

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar 

1/4 cup Olive Oil 

1 tsp. Garlic Powder 

1 tsp. Onion Powder 

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper 

1/2 tsp. dried Oregano

1/2 tsp. dried Basil

3/4 tsp. Salt 1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme, finely chopped, or 1 tsp. dried thyme 

Directions

Cut the tempeh into 1 inch cubes and steam with a little bit of water for 10 minutes in the microwave
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the steamed tempeh and all other ingredients in a food processor or large bowl. Process until the tempeh is completely broken up and everything comes together.

Lightly grease or spray a cookie sheet. Form the tempeh into ~1 inch meatballs and place on cookie sheet. Bake in the oven until browned, about 20 minutes.

If freezing, make sure to allow these to cool completely before doing so. Otherwise the water vapor will make them quite hard to get out after they have frozen together.

Makes 24 Meatballs.
4 meatballs is a serving.

Number of Servings: 6


Reference: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=633944

Canning!

My mom is the QUEEN of canning fruit jams! She spends time every summer picking fresh raspberries and blackberries and turning them into delicious jars of jam. They are so popular that we even gave them away as my wedding favor. As a teenager and young twenty-something I had no interest in learning how to make jam and can vegetables. Fast forward a few years and I am finally extremely excited to learn how to can. Now that we live in southern North Carolina, peaches and okra are abundant so I thought that it was only fitting that we make peach jam and pickled okra!

     I was planning to give most of these jars away as Christmas presents but I am quickly going to be depleted of my stash! It sure looks like a lot of jars and it was a lot of work but I wish we had twice as many to show for our efforts. The pickled okra will be less popular than the peach jam but I am excited to give a jar to my Uncles Darrell and Randy as they are the KINGS of canning and I am in love with their homemade canned sauerkraut and pickled beets. It will be nice to finally give back with some Southern Okra!

Pickled Okra

Ingredients

• 1  (9-piece) canning kit, including canner, jar lifter, and canning rack
• 7  (1-pt.) canning jars
• 2 1/2  pounds  small fresh okra
• 7  small fresh green chile peppers
• 7  garlic cloves
• 2  tablespoons  plus 1 tsp. dill seeds
• 4  cups  white vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1/2  cup  salt
• 1/4  cup  sugar

Preparation

1. Bring canner half-full with water to a boil; simmer. Meanwhile, place jars in a large stockpot with water to cover; bring to a boil, and simmer. Place bands and lids in a large saucepan with water to cover; bring to a boil, and simmer. Remove hot jars 1 at a time using jar lifter.
2. Pack okra into hot jars, filling to 1/2 inch from top. Place 1 pepper, 1 garlic clove, and 1 tsp. dill seeds in each jar. Bring vinegar, salt, sugar, and 4 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour over okra, filling to 1/2 inch from top.
3. Wipe jar rims; cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands (snug but not too tight). Place jars in canning rack, and place in simmering water in canner. Add additional boiling water as needed to cover by 1 to 2 inches.
4. Bring water to a rolling boil; boil 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool jars in canner 5 minutes. Transfer jars to a cutting board; cool 12 to 24 hours. Test seals of jars by pressing center of each lid. If lids do not pop, jars are properly sealed. Store in a cool, dry place at room temperature up to 1 year.

www.southernliving.com

Crack Pie

When I read the latest issue of Bon Appetit and saw a recipe from a famous NYC Bakery that involved salty and sweet--I was there! I figured I could make this recipe and we could eat a we would cookies (which I rarely make to being with...) and just nibble when we needed to satisfy our sweet teeth. This recipe is not called crack pie for nuthin! Do not attempt if you are on a diet :)

Ingredients
Oat Cookie Crust

* Nonstick vegetable oil spray
* 9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
* 5 1/2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar, divided
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 large egg
* 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
* 1/2 cup all purpose flour
* 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt

Filling

* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
* 6 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
* 4 large egg yolks
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Preparation
Oat Cookie Crust

* Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper; coat with nonstick spray. Combine 6 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until light and fluffy, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Add egg; beat until pale and fluffy. Add oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Turn oat mixture out onto prepared baking pan; press out evenly to edges of pan. Bake until light golden on top, 17 to 18 minutes. Transfer baking pan to rack and cool cookie completely.
* Using hands, crumble oat cookie into large bowl; add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar. Rub in with fingertips until mixture is moist enough to stick together. Transfer cookie crust mixture to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Using fingers, press mixture evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie dish. Place pie dish with crust on rimmed baking sheet.

Filling

* Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Whisk both sugars, milk powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and whisk until blended. Add cream, then egg yolks and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Pour filling into crust. Bake pie 30 minutes (filling may begin to bubble). Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Continue to bake pie until filling is brown in spots and set around edges but center still moves slightly when pie dish is gently shaken, about 20 minutes longer. Cool pie 2 hours in pie dish on rack. Chill uncovered overnight. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.

* Sift powdered sugar lightly over top of pie. Cut pie into wedges and serve cold.



Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/09/crack_pie#ixzz0z3sZnpr9

Buttery Sourdough Dinner Rolls

We had dinner at our new neighbor's house last week and he is a bread man. He bakes two loaves of bread every week to be used for their sandwiches and then makes additional rolls, sweet breads and additional breads as needed. I was impressed. For dinner that night he made these rolls and they were divine.... Honestly, I know I have been throwing around the term "the best" liberally, but these were the best rolls I have ever eaten. Mr. E. and I were lucky enough to enjoy them with dinner tonight as our generous neighbor shared his cookbook with me as well as a jar of his valuable sourdough starter. For more information about sourdough starters check out this website http://www.io.com/~sjohn/sour.htm One of the main differences between a lot of starters I have seen and mine is that mine was made with milk. Enjoy!

2 packages dry active yeast
½ cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
4 cups all purpose flour
¼ sugar
1 teaspoon salt
10 T butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
1 cup sourdough starter, at room temp
½ cup warm milk (about 110 degrees)

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups of flour, the sugar and salt. Then add yeast mixture, 6 T of the melted butter, the egg, starter and milk.

Beat with a heavy-duty mixer for about 5 minutes until well blended and smooth. Gradually beat in the remaining 2 cups of flour. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 45 minutes).

Pour 2 T of the remaining melted butter into a 9 13 inch baking pan, tilting pan to coat bottom. Stir dough down and drop into pan by large spoonfuls, making about 15 rolls. Cover and let rise in a warm place until light and puffy (about 30 minutes).

Drizzle the remaining 2 T melted butter over the rolls. Bake in a preheated 425 oven 400 for a glass pan for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Turn out onto a plate and serve hot. Pull rolls apart to separate.

Happy Birthday Mr. E!

It's Peach... What else would it be?

Herring Pate

We have been trying to eat more fish lately in addition to our weekly salmon dinner (now that Baby O is here!) and one of my more recent creations can either be served as an appetizer or as a main dish for a casual meal. Yes, I know that smoked herring does not sound appetizing at all but it is oh so good for you.

Ingredients:

7.5 can smoked herring
3 oz. lite cream cheese
1/2 lemon, squeezed
a few dashes of hot sauce
1 T of tomato paste (buy the tube of TP... it is much more economical than the cans)

Mix in a foot processor until it reaches a smooth consistency, about 30 seconds. Serve on toasted baguette rounds. We had a meal using leftover ingredients last night so I served this with roasted sweet potatoes and a salad.

The Best Peach Cobbler Ever... and so easy

Peaches are BIG in southern North Carolina and they are oh so delicious this time of year. In fact, local farmers are reporting that this is one of the best crops they have seen in years so of course I have been stockpiling them in our freezer as fast as I can. I also decided that I should put them to good use in a traditional southern dessert... peach cobbler! I found this recipe online and it had...881 reviews (almost all positive). That Paula Deen really knows here stuff! Unfortunately it was so good that it was all gobbled up before I could get a photo... but I am sure there will be another pan of this soon.

Ingredients:

* 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
* 2 cups sugar, divided
* 1/2 cup water
* 8 tablespoons butter
* 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
* 1 1/2 cups milk
* Ground cinnamon, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.

Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. We served it with Breyer's all Natural vanilla!

Paula Deen's Homecooking http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/peach-cobbler-recipe/index.html

Sweet Potato Fries and Dip

I LOVE sweet potato fries and never pass up an opportunity to try them out if we are out at a restaurant because surprisingly, they always taste different. My favorite part is the dipping sauce(s) that accompany these fries. The best dipping sauces I have tried are served at Bar Cento in Ohio City in Cleveland, Ohio. Sadly, I don't think I will make it back there any time soon. For a few years now I have been trying to find the perfect dip recipe to make at home to accompany the sweet potato fries that we grill or roast in the oven. Finally, last night I hit the jackpot. This sauce was amazing!


Avocado Dip:

* 1 avocado
* 1/3 cup mayonnaise
* 1/3 cup cream cheese
* 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped.
* 2 scallions, white and light green part only, chopped
* 1 lime, juiced
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the avocado, mayonnaise, cream cheese, jalapeno, scallions, and lime juice into a blender or small food processor. Blend for 1 minute or until you have a smooth paste. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Recipe courtesy Ingrid Hoffmann, 2007

Greek Pasta Salad

We are moving! In anticipation of the big packing and moving day I am trying to prepare foods using the ingredients we already have stocked in our cupboard or refrigerator.... Luckily I have been craving this staple of the 1980's for the last few months and we had most of the ingredients available. The only substitution I made was to prepare the salad with prosciutto instead of pepperoni!


Ingredients

* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 3/4 teaspoon white sugar
* 2 1/2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
* 3 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
* 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
* 1 cup sliced red bell peppers
* 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
* 1/2 cup chopped green onions
* 1 (4 ounce) can whole black olives
* 3/4 cup sliced pepperoni sausage, cut into strips

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, basil, oregano, black pepper, and sugar. Add cooked pasta, mushrooms, tomatoes, red peppers, feta cheese, green onions, olives, and pepperoni. Toss until evenly coated. Cover, and chill 2 hours or overnight.

Edamame with cranberries, feta & basil

We had this salad at a friends' house a few months back and I have been craving it for the last few days since I found a bag of edamame way in the back of my freezer. It is simple, healthy and oh so delicious!

Ingredients

1 16-oz bag frozen, shelled edamame
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (sliced into thin strips)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup reduced-fat feta crumbles
Salt to taste

Directions
Bring small pan of water to boil and remove from heat. Put cranberries in water and let sit for 5 minutes to rehydrate. Drain well, removing as much water as possible (I squeeze lightly in paper towels) and set aside.

Cook edamame in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Pat dry.

Toss edamame, cranberries, basil, olive oil and pepper together. Add salt, if desired. Gently stir in feta cheese. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Serves 4.

www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Flank Steak with Artichoke-Potato Hash with Aleppo Pepper Aioli

With only a week to go until our induction Mr. E. decided to go all out with a steak dinner--this meal was delicious and definitely one we will be making again... The aioli would be the perfect accompaniment for sweet potato fries and I have been on the hunt for a good sweet potato fry aioli for awhile!

Ingredients
AIOLI

* 2 garlic cloves, pressed
* 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (see note at the bottom)
* 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
* 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon Sherry wine vinegar

steak

* 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
* 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
* 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 1 1/2- to 2-pound flank steak
* 1/2 lemon
* 8 baby artichokes, stems trimmed (we used one can of baby artichokes since we did not have access to fresh nor the time!)
* 1 1/4 pounds unpeeled small yellow potatoes (such as baby Dutch or Russian Banana)
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 fresh thyme sprigs
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
* 1 tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable oil
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preparation
aioli

* Mash garlic, Aleppo pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt to paste in mortar with pestle or in small bowl with back of spoon. Whisk in remaining ingredients. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

STEAK

* Mix thyme, Aleppo pepper, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in small bowl. Rub seasoning mixture into steak; set aside. DO AHEAD Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing.

* Squeeze juice from lemon half into medium bowl of water. Cut 1/2 inch from tops of artichokes. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, break off dark outer leaves until only pale yellow leaves remain. Cut artichokes lengthwise in half; cut each half into 1/2-inch wedges. Place in lemon water to prevent browning.

* Place potatoes in heavy large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover; sprinkle with salt. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-high and boil until potatoes are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain. Transfer to baking sheet until cool enough to handle. Halve or quarter potatoes.

* Drain artichokes; pat to dry well, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add artichokes and sauté until browned, about 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, thyme sprigs, and garlic. Cover skillet and simmer over medium heat until artichokes are tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and boil until no liquid remains, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and potatoes; stir to coat. Add cream and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until potatoes are heated through and browned in spots, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Season hash to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

*Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat peanut oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add steak and cook until bottom is brown, about 2 minutes. Turn steak over; transfer to oven and roast until cooked to desired doneness, about 7 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to work surface; tent with foil to keep warm. Let rest 10 minutes.

*Meanwhile, rewarm artichoke-potato hash gently over medium heat. Stir in chopped chives. Thinly slice steak crosswise. Divide steak and hash among plates. Drizzle some aioli over steak. Serve, passing remaining aioli alongside.

**We did not have aleppo pepper seasoning so Mr. E. found this website to be helpful http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/280141*

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

For Christina's birthday we went to a local Hibachi restaurant not only for the food, but also for the show! We had a great time and Brett took home the longest Saki shot award with 42 seconds! We concluded the evening with these yummy cupcakes--very Hibachi right?

Ingredients
cupcakes

* 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 very ripe large bananas, peeled
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 large egg
* 1 large egg yolk

frosting

* 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
* 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)
* Chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts (optional)

Preparation
CUPCAKES

* Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 12 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Mash bananas with fork in another medium bowl until smooth. Mix sour cream and vanilla into bananas.
* Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with banana-sour cream mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating just until blended after each addition. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (generous 1/4 cup for each).
* Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center of each comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack and let cool completely.

FROSTING

*Sift powdered sugar into large bowl. Add cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until smooth. Spread frosting over top of cupcakes, dividing equally. Sprinkle lightly with chopped peanuts, if desired. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

www.bonappetit.com

White Chocolate Banana Tart with Caramel Sauce

During my parents visit this weekend (last visit before Baby E's arrival!) I had two dishes that I would put on my "top ten" lists and I actually have one of the recipes! Unfortunately, the other one was the "Porky" sandwich at Bar Symon in Avon Lake with homemade chips... I don't have that recipe which is just another excuse to head over to Bar Symon again the future!
However, the dessert I made for my parents was a recreation of a dessert that my friends in Oberlin and I made at our Viking Cooking School class back in February. It was delicious back then but even more delicious eating it at home because I had produced this result all by myself. This recipe was time-consuming but believe me, it was well worth the effort (I know, I know... the picture does not do this tart justice!). Yum!

Crust
1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup ground macadamia nuts
pinch of fine salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Custard
2 T all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
pinch fine salt
3 large egg yolks
1 cup whole milk (I used 2% instead and it was just as tasty)
1/2 T vanilla extract
1 T cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
3 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

Bananas
3-4 medium bananas, peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonla
3-4 T sugar for glazing bananas

Rum Caramel Sauce
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
2 T rum
4 T unsalted butter cut into 4-6 pieces

Meringue
6 large egg whites brought to room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups sugar

Preparation

1. For the crust: preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cracker crumbs, macadamia nuts and salt in a medium mixing bowl; stir the crumb mixture to incorporate. Press into a 9 inch removable bottom tart pan, then bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. For the custard: whisk together the flour, sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the egg yolks (save the whites from these eggs to be used in the meringue) and whisk to combine.

3. Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Pour half of the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper, whisking constantly to combine.

4. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan then place over medium-high heat; bring the mixture to the boil, whisking constantly and vigorously until thickened and pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Whisk the vanilla, butter, and white chocolate into the custard until completely smooth. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard and cool quickly in an ice water bath (I made things easier by placing the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes). Fill the cooled pie shell with the cooled filling.

6. For the bananas: if you have a torch you can sprinkle them with sugar and torch them until amber but if you are like most people (aka without a kitchen torch) you can place the slices on a baking sheet, sprinkle with sugar and place under the oven broiler for about 2 minutes until golden. Watch closely so they don't burn!

7. For the caramel sauce (can be made a day ahead of time): Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Slowly bring to a simmer, swirling to dissolve the sugar, about 6 minutes. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat to medium-high, cover and cook for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, uncover and swirl the pan from time to time to distribute the heat evenly. DO NOT STIR. Cook until the sugar is medium dark amber in color. Carefully whisk in the cream and run. Do not panic if the sauce begins to clump; just continue whisking constantly and vigorously until completely smooth, then whisk in the butter. Cool to room temperature.

8. For the meringue: beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks just begin to form. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time until the sugar dissolves and the medium shiny peaks form. Do not overmix or it will be dry and lumpy.

9. Spread the meringue evenly over the top of the custard with a spatula; seal the meringue to the crust all the way around to prevent meringue shrinkage. Create soft peaks with a spoon, then use a torch to lightly brown the meringue (or place under a broiler for a few minutes until brown but watch closely). Serve immediately.

*one additional alteration I made to the recipe was to double the filling. I had the extra milk and white chocolate and 2 cups of custard in the center of the tart seemed like it was worth the extra effort. *
www.vikinggrangecorporation.com

Fish and Chips with Tarragon-Malt Vinegar Mayonnaise

Mr. E. made a meal this evening in honor of my friend on the other side of the pond! I was a bit doubtful about how this would actually turn out because how, honestly, how realistic is it to imagine he could make fish and chips that taste just like they would at a stand in England? He proved me wrong and this dinner was amazing!

Ingredients
* 3/4 cup mayonnaise
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
* 1 tablespoon malt vinegar or cider vinegar
* 1 cup self-rising flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
* 1 1/4 cups lager beer
* Vegetable oil (for frying)
* 1 1/2 pounds halibut fillets, cut crosswise into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices
* 3 (8- to 10-ounce) red-skinned potatoes or russet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick rounds

Preparation

Whisk mayonnaise, tarragon, and vinegar in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Whisk flour and Old Bay seasoning in medium bowl to blend. Add beer and whisk just until blended. Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to reach depth of 1 inch; heat oil to 350°F. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Working in batches, dip fish into beer batter to coat lightly, allowing excess batter to drip back into bowl. Add fish to hot oil and fry until deep golden and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to paper towels to drain. Working in batches, add potato slices to oil and cook until golden and tender, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle generously with salt.

Divide fish and chips among 4 plates. Spoon tarragon-malt vinegar mayonnaise alongside and serve.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fish-and-Chips-with-Tarragon-Malt-Vinegar-Mayonnaise-238551#ixzz0ilXLkFW0

Cuban Black Beans & Rice

This recipe comes from The White Dog Cafe cookbook by Judy Wicks & Kevin Von Klause. The White Dog Cafe is located near the campus of the University of Pennsylvania and is the most "Obie" like restaurant in the West Philly neighborhood in that Judy tries to get all of the food on the menu from local, organic and humanely treated ingredients. When she started the restaurant she was ahead of her time!

Cuban Black Beans & Rice (Moros y Cristianos--translated as Moors & Christians--a Cuban staple).

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
2 celery ribs, finely diced
2 T dried oregano
1 T ground cumin
1/2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 ground allspice
1 pound dried black beans, picked over for stones and rinsed well
2 bay leaves
1 smoked ham hock (optional)--I don't know where I would get a ham hock in Oberlin so I used 1/4 lb of Betty's bacon instead.
8 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
2 T fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a large pot set over medium heat, heat the oil until it ripples. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oregano, cumin, coriander and allspice and cook for one minute more.
2. Add the beans, bay leaves, bacon or ham hock and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer until the beans are very tender, about 1 hour. If necessary, add a little water during the cooking to keep the beans from scorching.
3. Remove and discard the bay leaves (I often leave mine in the dish and whoever gets the bay leaf in their serving knows that good luck is coming their way!). Remove the ham hock and reserve. Ladle 1 cup of beans into a small bowl and mash them with the back of a fork. Return the mashed beans to the pot along with the cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove the meat from the ham hock and finely dice. Add back to the beans. Keep the sop warm until ready to serve or let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
4. Serve with brown or white rice. When serving top with any of the following--grated cheese, sour cream, scallions, tomato salsa or cooked egg.

Chocolate Chip Orange Cannoli

Mr. E. asked me to make cannolis a few weeks ago for a get together with friends, however, at the time the recipes I found all called for deep fried cannoli shells which I was definitely not up to attempting. However, at a cooking class with my friends a few weeks ago I spied a pizzelle maker... putting two and two together I realized I could make cannolis using a pizzelle maker... and luckily my friend Courtney's mother here in town had one that she generously let me borrow!

I followed the directions to make the cannolis and then found a recipe for yummy-sounding cannoli filling. Mr. E. finished off our Valentine's Day meal with some of my favorites--homemade baked sweet potato fries and vegetable reubens. They were tasty but definitely not as tasty as the fried cannolis from a genuine Italian bakery!


Pizzelles

3 eggs
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. anise seed or almond extract (opt.)
1/2 c. butter (1/4 lb.)
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Do not use more than 1/2 cup butter and don't use oil as a substitute.

Beat eggs and sugar. Add cooled melted butter and vanilla and anise. Sift flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture. Batter will be stiff enough to be dropped by spoon. Batter can be refrigerated to be used at a later time. Makes 30 pizzelles.

After heating buttering the iron, place a spoonful of pizzelle batter in the center of each iron and press for 45 minutes until golden. Toss the first round. As soon as you take the next round off of the iron, wrap it around the handle of a wooden spoon for the cylindrical shape and let cool on a rack.

Filling

* 1 pound (2 cups) fresh sheep's- or cow's-milk ricotta, drained 1 hour in cheesecloth-lined sieve
* 3/4 cup superfine sugar
* 1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips
* 4 tablespoons candied orange peel, chopped, or finely grated zest of 2 oranges
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In medium mixing bowl, stir together ricotta, sugar, chocolate chips, orange peel, and vanilla. Spoon mixture into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch round tip and refrigerate until ready to use. (Filling can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated, covered.) When ready to serve, pipe filling into 1 end of cannoli shell, filling shell halfway, then pipe into other end. Repeat to fill remaining shells. Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve immediately.

King Cake

Last evening we went to a Super Bowl party at a friends house and I decided to make a traditional New Orleans sweet treat in honor of the Saints. A colleague of mine gets one of these sent to her every year from her brother who lives in New Orleans and I tried it for the first time last February and it was delicious so I am hopeful that mine lives up to those expectations.

King Cake

* 2 envelopes active dry yeast
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
* 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
* 5 large egg yolks, at room temperature
* 4 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
* 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
* 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
* 4 cups confectioner's sugar
* 1 plastic king cake baby or a pecan half
* 5 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
* 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* Purple-, green-, and gold-tinted sugar sprinkles

Combine the yeast and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the melted butter and warm milk. Beat at low speed for 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the egg yolks, then beat for 1 minute at medium-low speed. Add the flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest and beat until everything is incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball, and starts to climb up the dough hook. (If the dough is uncooperative in coming together, add a bit of warm water (110 degrees), a tablespoon at a time, until it does.)

Remove the dough from the bowl. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl with the vegetable oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1 cup of the confectioner's sugar. Blend by hand or with an electric mixer on low speed. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your fingers, pat it out into a rectangle about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide.

Spread the filling lengthwise over the bottom half of the dough, then flip the top half of the dough over the filling. Seal the edges, pinching the dough together. Shape the dough into a cylinder and place it on the prepared baking sheet seam side down. Shape the dough into a ring and pinch the ends together so there isn't a seam. Insert the king cake baby or pecan half into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough.

Cover the ring with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft-free place. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Brush the top of the risen cake with 2 tablespoons of the milk. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the icing. Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons milk, the lemon juice, and the remaining 3 cups confectioner's sugar in medium-size mixing bowl. Stir to blend well. With a rubber spatula, spread the icing evenly over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals, alternating colors around the cake.

The cake is traditionally cut into 2-inch-thick slices with all the guests in attendance.

Emeril Lagasse

Pad Thai

For our weekly dinner exchange I wanted to try to make something less time consuming than previous dinners as I am also making a King Cake for a Super Bowl party we are attending this evening and the more time this pregnant lady stands in the kitchen, the more my body aches later in the day. Sigh. This delicious pad thai ended up taking the same amount of time as any other recipe but once I sampled, I decided it was definitely worth the time!

Sidenote--this recipe only called for tofu but since some of the men would prefer chicken, I added sliced chicken and cut the tofu into tiny slices so it would go unnoticed. If you like your tofu extra firm as we do--put it in the freezer overnight, let it defrost and squeeze the liquid out. You will end up with super firm tofu.


Vegetarian Pad Thai (doubled to serve our group of ten)

Ingredients
12 ounces dried flat rice noodles (1/4 inch wide; sometimes called pad Thai or banh pho)
3 tablespoons tamarind (from a pliable block) or substitute 3 T Worcestshire sauce and 1 T line juice)
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Sriracha (Southeast Asian chile sauce)
1 bunch scallions
4 large shallots or 1/2 large yellow onion
1 (14- to 16-ounce) package firm tofu
6 T peanut or vegetable oil
6 large eggs
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups bean sprouts (1/4 pound)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Cook noodles according to the instructions on the package.

Meanwhile, make sauce by soaking tamarind pulp in boiling-hot water in a small bowl, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Force mixture through a sieve into a bowl, discarding seeds and fibers OR mix the worcestshire and lime juice. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, and Sriracha, stirring until sugar has dissolved.

Cut scallions into 2-inch pieces. Halve pale green and white parts lengthwise.

Cut shallots crosswise into very thin slices with slicer.

Rinse tofu, then cut into 1-inch cubes and pat very dry.

Heat 1 T oil in wok over medium heat until hot, then fry half of shallots or onion over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden-brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Carefully strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl. Reserve shallot oil and spread fried shallots on paper towels. (Shallots will crisp as they cool.) Wipe wok clean.

Add 1-2 T oil to wok over high heat until hot. Fry tofu in 1 layer, gently turning occasionally, until golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer tofu to paper towels using a slotted spoon.

Lightly beat eggs with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in wok over high heat until it shimmers. Add eggs and swirl to coat side of wok, then cook, stirring gently with a spatula, until cooked through. Break into chunks with spatula and transfer to a plate.

Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly. Pour in 2 tablespoons oil, then swirl to coat side of wok. Stir-fry scallions, garlic, and remaining uncooked shallots until softened, about 1 minute.

Add noodles and stir-fry over medium heat (use 2 spatulas if necessary) 3 minutes. Add tofu, chicken bean sprouts, and 1 1/2 cups sauce and simmer, turning noodles over to absorb sauce evenly, until noodles are tender, about 2 minutes.

Stir in additional sauce if desired, then stir in eggs and transfer to a large shallow serving dish.

Sprinkle pad Thai with peanuts and fried shallots and serve with lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, and Sriracha.

www.epicurious.com
Altered by Molly

Pumpkin Hummus--attempt #2

While the last batch of pumpkin hummus was good, it was not quite the same hummus I had enjoyed at Buckley's Tavern back in December. This weekend I gave it another try and while it came closer to the taste of what I am calling "the original" it was not quite exactly what I was looking for. Perhaps they cheated and added some heavy cream or half and half as their version tasted creamier than mine... My mission will continue!

Oh, and I used canned garbanzo beans which allowed me to skip the time consuming steps 1 and 2!


Ingredients

* 1 3/4 cups dry garbanzo beans
* 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
* 5 fluid ounces lemon juice
* 1/6 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 cup tahini paste
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
* salt to taste

Directions

1. Place the garbanzo beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Or, bring the beans and water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse before using.
2. Place the soaked garbanzo beans into a large saucepan and cover with several inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the garbanzo beans are tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Once cooked, refrigerate the beans and liquid until cold.
3. Drain the garbanzo beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Place the beans and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid into a blender, and puree until a smooth paste forms. Add the pumpkin puree, lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Cover and puree again until smooth. Use additional cooking liquid as needed to achieve a smooth consistency. Season to taste with salt.

Provencal Vegetable Soup

The weather has gotten colder here in the midwest and so we are still fortifying ourselves with my soups! Unfortunately our grocery did not have haricot verts (green beans) so I substituted 1/4 head of chopped green cabbage. This soup was chock full of vegetables and Mr. E. thoroughly devoured his first bowl so I think this may be my new "go-to" vegetable soup!

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons good olive oil
* 2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
* 2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 to 4 leeks)
* 3 cups 1/2-inch-diced unpeeled boiling potatoes (1 pound)
* 3 cups 1/2-inch-diced carrots (1 pound)
* 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 quarts homemade chicken stock or canned broth
* 1 teaspoon saffron threads
* 1/2 pound haricots verts, ends removed and cut in 1/2
* 4 ounces spaghetti, broken in pieces
* 1 cup Pistou, recipe follows
* Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot, add the onions, and saute over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the leeks, potatoes, carrots, salt, and pepper and saute over medium heat for another 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and saffron, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the haricots verts and spaghetti, bring to a simmer, and cook for 15 more minutes.

To serve, whisk 1/4 cup of the pistou into the hot soup, then season to taste. Depending on the saltiness of your chicken stock, you may need to add up to another tablespoon of salt. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and more pistou.

Pistou:

4 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup tomato paste
24 large basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup good olive oil

Place the garlic, tomato paste, basil, and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor and puree. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil down the feed tube to make a paste. Pack into a container, pour a film of olive oil on top, and close the lid.

Yield: 1 cup


Garten, Ina. Barefoot Contessa in Paris, 2005

Golden Globes Party!

I LOVE the Golden Globes.... the only awards show that even compares is the Oscars and so we decided to have a small group of friends over for a Golden Globes Viewing Party. While the apparel for the evening tends more towards pajamas, we decided to create a menu mostly reminiscent of the Mad Men era... our favorite series of the year. So besides vodka tonics and dirty martinis, I decided to make a very Betty Draperesque coconut cake!

Coconut Cake

Ingredients
* 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
* 2 cups sugar
* 5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
* 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 cup milk
* 4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Frosting:


* 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
* 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
* 1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
* 6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; don't be concerned.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!).

To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.

Courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa at Home, 2006.

Mixed Berry Pavlova

My favorite new cook is Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa courtesy of my mom who got me two of her cookbooks for Christmas. For bridge night last night I wanted to make something for dessert that was light in all definitions and sweet. These mixed berry pavlova was perfect! It did take quite a long time to actually bake in the oven but the prep time was about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Ingredients
4 extra large egg whites at room temperature
pinch of kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Homemade sweetened whipped cream (recipe below)
1/2 pint strawberries
1/2 pint blueberries
1/2 pint raspberries
Triple Raspberry Sauce (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Draw a 9 inch circle on the paper using a 9 inch plate as your guide.

Place the egg whites and salt in the Kitchenaid mixer bowl and fit the mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. With the mixer still on high slowly add the sugar and beat until it makes firm, shiny peaks, about 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the mixer, sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add the vinegar and vanilla, and fold in lightly with a rubber spatula. Pile the meringue into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper and smooth it within the circle, making a rough disk. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, about 1 hour. It will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

Invert the meringue disk onto a plate and spread the top completely with sweetened whipped cream. Combine the strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in a bowl and toss with about 1/2 cup of raspberry sauce, or enough to coat the berries lightly. Spoon the berries carefully into the middle of the Pavlova, leaving a border of cream and meringue. Serve immediately in large scoops with extra raspberry sauce.

Sweetened Whipped Cream:

1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until firm. Don't overbeat!

Triple Raspberry Sauce:

1 half-pint fresh raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup seedless raspberry jam (12-ounce jar) OR Darlene's homemade jam with seeds!
1 tablespoon framboise liqueur (we did not have this liquer so I skipped this step)

Place the raspberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.

Garten, Ina. (2006) Barefoot Contessa at Home.

Stecca or small baquette in Italian

The pictures in the bread making book were too pretty to pass up.... I had to attempt these baquettes--our favorite was the olive baquette!

Ingredients:

3 c. bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp sugar
/14 dry active yeast
1.5 c water (55-65 degrees F)
1/4 c. EVOO
3/4 tsp coarse sea salt
Extra Flour for dusting
whole pitted olives (about 8-10)

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, table salt, sugar and yeast. Add the water and using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until you have a wet, stick dough, about 30 seconds. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temp. until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size, about 12-18 hours.
2. When the first rise is complete, generously dust a work surface with flour. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the dough out of the bowl in one piece. Fold the dough over itself two or three times and gently shape it into a somewhat flattened ball. Brush the surface of the dough with some of the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of the coarse salt.
3. Place a tea towel on your work surface and generously dust with wheat bran, cornmeal (my choice!) or flour. Gently place the dough on the towel, seam side down. If the dough is tacky, duct the top lightlt with cormeal. Fold the ends of the tea towel loosely over the dough to cover it and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1-2 hours. The dough is ready when it is almost doubled. If you gently poke it with your finger it should hold the impression. If it springs back, let it sit for about 15 minutes.
4. Half and hour before the end of the second rise, preheat the own to 500 degrees with a rack in the center Oil a 13x18x1 inch baking sheet.
5. Cut the dough into quarters and gently stretch each piece evenly into a stick shape appr. the length of the pan. Place on the pan, leaving at least 1 inch between the loaves. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining coarse salt.
5. Bake for 15-25 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then use a spatula to transfer the stecca to rack to cool thoroughly.

NOTE: The stecca may become a bit soggy in just a few hours because of the salt on the surface--if that happens, reheat the loaves in the oven until crisp.

VARIATIONS:
Push 10 large pitted olies or 10 cherry tomator halves or 10 lightly crushed garlic cloves into each formed stecca. Brush each stecca with enough olive oil to create a thin coat on the surface of the dough. For the tomato stecca, top each tomato half with a very thin slice of garlic and a couple of fresh thyme leaves (it is winter here so anything fresh is nonexistent so I skipped this variation) and sprinkle with salt. SPrinkle the garlic stecca with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Do not salt the olive stecca--it is already salty from the olives. I also think another interesting addition would be sundried tomatoes only you would have to watch that they do not burn in the oven. Enjoy!

Lahey, Jim. My bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method. 2009.

Stevenson Casserole

For our weekly dinner exchange, Mr. E. thought it would be a good idea to have the husbands/fiances take a turn cooking for the ladies... His favorite dish growing up was a family recipe and his mom used to make this for his birthday dinner every August at the beach. We have lightened up the dish just a bit by adding lite cream cheese and lite sour cream. Enjoy!

STEVENSON CASSEROLE - 4 -5 servings:

1 lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
1 large can tomato sauce (15 oz)
1/4 cup red wine
8 oz lite sour cream
6 oz lite cream cheese
6 oz egg noodles
Cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef and onion. Spoon off fat. Add salt, pepper, wine, and tomato sauce; Simmer. In separate bowl, combine sour cream and cream cheese. Slightly cook noodles. Place in layers in casserole dish (two total) - end with meat sauce on top: noodles - cheese mix - meat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with squares of cheddar cheese; bake 5 minutes more until the cheese is melted.

The most common mistake is with the noodles - either using too many or over cooked.

Pumpkin Hummus

Over the holidays, we attended a surprise birthday party for my mother-in-law at her favorite local haunt. One of the appetizers served at the party was this amazing pumpkin hummus--it was so addictive and unlike anything I had ever eaten before. Mr. E. and I are big fans of hummus and eat it frequently throughout the summer because it is easy to make and a very healthy vegetarian dish. After the party, I emailed the restaurant to flatter them with praise and beg for the recipe.... unfortunately they never returned my message so it was left to me to experiment with other recipes on the internet. This was the first one I found and decided to give it a try--although it is not the taste I had hoped to achieve as it really just tasted like regular hummus, I think this might be m new standby because of the added superfood of pumpkin!

PUMPKIN HUMMUS
Ingredients

15oz. can of garbanzo beans
15oz. can of pureed pumpkin
1 T oil
1 smashed garlic clove
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 T tahini
1 tsp ground cumin
3-4 T water

Mix in a food processor until smooth. The amount of water you will need to add will depend on the pumpkin.... more for canned pumpkin and less for the fresh stuff. Serve with whole wheat pita and carrots.

Ribollita

Throughout the long cold winter months we experience here in the OH-IO, Mr. E. and I eat different kinds of soup for lunch nearly every day of the week. For Christmas this year I received two of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks (oh joy!) and have tried out the Ribollita from the "At Home" collection.... It is made with a bounty of fresh vegetables and filled with fiber (now is when we really need the farm share...) and smelled delicious while cooking... I doubled the recipe because if not I would have had half a head of cabbage, 1/2 lb of kale as leftovers....


Ingredients


* 1/2 pound dried white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini
* Kosher salt
* 1/4 cup good olive oil, plus extra for serving
* 1/4 pound large diced pancetta or smoked bacon
* 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
* 1 cup chopped carrots (3 carrots)
* 1 cup chopped celery (3 stalks)
* 3 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
* 4 cups coarsely chopped or shredded savoy cabbage, optional
* 4 cups coarsely chopped kale
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
* 6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
* 4 cups sourdough bread cubes, crusts removed
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water by 1-inch and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain the beans and place them in a large pot with 8 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the pancetta and onions and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes with their puree, the cabbage, if using, the kale, and basil and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes.

Drain the beans, reserving their cooking liquid. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree half of the beans with a little of their liquid. Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour the bean cooking liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough chicken stock to make 8 cups. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Add the bread to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan and drizzled with olive oil.

Garten, Ina (2006). Barefoot Contessa At Home. p. 38-39.